TLDR
- Waldo Cortes-Acosta defeated Derrick Lewis by TKO at 3:14 of round two at UFC 324
- Cortes-Acosta scored his third consecutive knockout victory in three months
- The fight ended after Cortes-Acosta landed a counter right hand that put Lewis down, followed by ground strikes
- Cortes-Acosta has now fought six times in 10 months, going 5-1 in that span
- After the win, Cortes-Acosta called out Curtis Blaydes for his next fight
Sources: CBS Sports | Empire Sports Media | MMA Weekly
Waldo Cortes-Acosta defeated Derrick Lewis by second-round TKO at UFC 324 on January 24, 2026. The official stoppage came at 3:14 of round two after referee Jason Herzog waved off the fight.
The Dominican Republic native earned the biggest win of his career against Lewis, who holds the UFC record for most career knockouts. Cortes-Acosta improved his record to 16-2 while Lewis dropped to 29-12.
The fight marked Cortes-Acosta’s sixth appearance in 10 months. He entered the bout on a two-fight knockout streak, having finished his previous two opponents in the span of three months.
Cautious First Round Sets the Stage
The opening round featured both fighters moving carefully. Lewis attempted several head kicks early while Cortes-Acosta landed leg kicks and took the center of the octagon.
Neither fighter committed to heavy offense in the first five minutes. Lewis landed a 1-2 combination and later caught Cortes-Acosta with a counter right hand.
Lewis threw a body kick that Cortes-Acosta caught, briefly taking Lewis to the ground. Lewis quickly returned to his feet and the round ended without a clear winner.
Second Round Brings Decisive Action
Cortes-Acosta increased his output in round two. He started landing his jab consistently and mixed in leg kicks to slow down Lewis.
Lewis struggled to close the distance throughout the round. When he tried to land power shots, Cortes-Acosta used his speed to avoid them and counter.
Cortes-Acosta landed a counter right hand that hurt Lewis. Lewis either slipped or went down from the punch, ending up on the canvas.
With Lewis on the ground showing little urgency to stand, Cortes-Acosta moved in quickly. He began landing ground-and-pound strikes while Lewis covered up in a defensive shell.
Referee Herzog looked for a response from Lewis but saw no meaningful resistance. The official stopped the fight as Cortes-Acosta continued landing strikes on the grounded fighter.
The finish gave Cortes-Acosta his third consecutive knockout victory. He has now gone 5-1 in his last six UFC appearances.
Lewis entered the fight with a 3-1 record in his last four bouts, including three knockout wins. The two-time heavyweight title challenger has now lost back-to-back fights for the first time since 2018.
During his post-fight interview, Cortes-Acosta called out Curtis Blaydes through his Portuguese interpreter Fabian Buskei. “I want Curtis Blaydes,” he said. “He’s talking a lot of crap, and I need to shut him up.”
Blaydes ranks higher than Cortes-Acosta in the heavyweight division. The callout suggests brewing tension between the two fighters.
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is currently sidelined with eye injuries. His absence has created uncertainty at the top of the division.
Cortes-Acosta used speed and counter-punching to neutralize Lewis’s power throughout the fight. He landed effective jabs and leg kicks that prevented Lewis from getting into range for his knockout shots.
The victory moves Cortes-Acosta closer to the top 10 in the heavyweight rankings. His high activity level of six fights in 10 months sets him apart from other contenders in the division.
