Shocking! Giant accepts fight with only days' notice and delivers a brutal and devastating knockout at UFC Qatar.

Acosta defeats Gaziev in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC

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Waldo Cortes-Acosta simply shone at UFC Qatar. Called in at the last minute to compete at the event this Saturday (22), the athlete accepted to replace Sergei Spivac and made short work of Shamil Gaziev in the heavyweight division (up to 120,2 kg). With only one day to make weight and prepare for the fight, 'Salsa Boy' quickly settled the score with a brutal knockout in the first round.

Acosta's performance proved, once again, that his chin and power are exceptional. While in his previous fight he impressed by knocking out Ante Delija even after receiving an eye poke, this time the victim was Gaziev under very adverse circumstances. Excited by this great moment in his career, 'Salsa Boy' asked for another fight this season and promised to knock out champion Tom Aspinall.

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Brutal and devastating knockout.

The fight started with a bang, with the heavyweights exchanging punches against the cage. Gaziev even startled Acosta, who held his own. However, Shamil, getting carried away, ended up getting the worst of it.

Powerful and resilient, Acosta retaliated. The fighter stunned his opponent with a straight punch and, seeing him in a precarious situation in the octagon, knocked him out with another straight punch to the face.

Watch Waldo Cortes-Acosta's knockout of Shamil Gaziev.

 

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UFC Qatar Results

MAIN CARD

Lightweight (up to 70,3 kg): Arman Tsarukyan defeated Dan Hooker by submission (katagatame) at 3:44 of round 2.

Welterweight (up to 77,1 kg): Ian Garry defeated Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Light heavyweight (up to 93 kg): Volkan Oezdemir defeated Alonzo Menifield by knockout (punch) at 1:27 of round 1.

Welterweight (up to 77,1 kg): Myktybek Orolbai defeated Jack Hermansson by knockout (punch) at 2:46 of round 1.

Heavyweight (up to 120,2 kg): Waldo Cortes-Acosta defeated Shamil Gaziev by knockout (punch) at 1:22 of round 1.

Flyweight (up to 57 kg): Kyoji Horiguchi defeated Tagir Ulanbekov by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:18 of round 3.

PRELIMINARY CARD

Featherweight (up to 65,8 kg): Luke Riley defeated Bogdan Grad by technical knockout (punches) at 30 seconds of round 2.

Welterweight (up to 77,1 kg): Nicolas Dalby defeated Saygid Izagakhmaev by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Flyweight (up to 57 kg): Asu Almabayev defeated Alex Perez by submission (guillotine choke) at 22 seconds of round 3.

Light heavyweight (up to 93 kg): Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev defeated Raffael Cerqueira by submission (rear-naked choke) at 33 seconds of round 1.

Bantamweight (up to 61,2 kg): Aleksandre Topuria defeated Bekzat Almakhan by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Middleweight (up to 83,9 kg): Ismail Naurdiev defeated Ryan Loder by knockout (punch) at 1:26 of Round 1.

Lightweight (up to 70,3 kg): Nurullo Aliev defeated Shem Rock by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Heavyweight (up to 120,2 kg): Denzel Freeman defeated Marek Bujło by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)

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