TLDR
- Serghei Spivac withdrew from his UFC Fight Night 265 fight against Shamil Gaziev during fight week
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta will replace Spivac on three days’ notice in the heavyweight bout
- Cortes-Acosta last fought three weeks ago, winning via first-round knockout at UFC Fight Night 263
- Gaziev was previously scheduled to fight Spivac twice before in 2025 but both matchups fell through
- UFC Fight Night 265 takes place Saturday at ABHA Arena in Doha, Qatar
Waldo Cortes-Acosta Replaces Serghei Spivac on Three Days’ Notice Against Shamil Gaziev at UFC Fight Night 265
Serghei Spivac has withdrawn from his scheduled heavyweight fight against Shamil Gaziev at UFC Fight Night 265. The event takes place Saturday at ABHA Arena in Doha, Qatar.
Spivac pulled out of the bout during fight week. The UFC quickly found a replacement opponent for Gaziev.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta will step in on just three days’ notice. He accepted the fight to keep the heavyweight matchup on the card.
Cortes-Acosta competed three weeks ago at UFC Fight Night 263 in Las Vegas. He won his fight against Ante Delija via first-round knockout at the UFC Apex.
The fight featured unusual circumstances for Cortes-Acosta. He suffered an eye poke early in the bout that left him struggling to see.
Despite the injury, Cortes-Acosta chose to continue fighting. He delivered a knockout finish shortly after the eye poke incident.
The quick turnaround shows Cortes-Acosta’s eye injury was not serious. He now has the opportunity to fight again less than a month later.
Cortes-Acosta’s Active 2025 Campaign
Cortes-Acosta holds a 15-2 overall record and 8-2 in the UFC. He has been very active in 2025 with a 3-1 record this year.
The 30-year-old fighter is ranked sixth in the heavyweight division. His opponent Gaziev is ranked seventh, though he was originally scheduled to face the seventh-ranked Spivac.
Gaziev will finally get to compete after multiple scheduling issues. This marks the third time in 2025 that a fight with Spivac was scheduled.
Gaziev’s Previous Matchup Attempts
The Dagestani heavyweight holds a 14-1 record overall and 3-1 in the UFC. He is currently ranked 11th in the heavyweight division.
Gaziev last fought in February at UFC Fight Night 250. He knocked out Thomas Petersen in the first round.
The 35-year-old fighter has been waiting for his next opportunity since that February victory. He will now face a different opponent than originally planned.
UFC Fight Night 265 is headlined by a lightweight bout between Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker. The co-main event features Belal Muhammad versus Ian Machado Garry.
The Cortes-Acosta versus Gaziev fight appears on the main card. Other main card bouts include Alonzo Menifield versus Volkan Oezdemir and Jack Hermansson versus Myktybek Orolbai.
Cortes-Acosta will enter the octagon on short notice against Gaziev on Saturday in Qatar.
