Nothing seems to be going right for UFC reigning heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall or his teammates. After last week’s UFC 321 the heavyweight bout between Aspinall and Ciryl Gane ended in a “no contest” due to an eye poke, Ante Delija faced a similar setback at UFC Vegas 110 today. On the main card, the Croatian faced Dominican star Waldo Cortes-Acosta. At first, the bout appeared to be in ‘The Walking Trouble’s favor, as he seemed to have finished Cortes-Acosta.

However, an apparent eye poke from Ante Delija nullified the referee’s original call, and the fight resumed after Cortes-Acosta indicated he could continue. Shortly after, Cortes-Acosta seized the opportunity, landing a devastating right overhand knockout that sent the fan-favorite Croatian to sleep at 3:59 of the opening round. Following the bout, Delija condemned the referee’s decision as a “robbery” and posted evidence on social media.

Ante Delija says, “Ask for nothing, just honesty”

A few hours ago, Ante Delija shared a detailed Instagram post to back up his argument, outlining five key points. First, he urged fans on social media to question whether the contact he made was a true eye poke or merely near the eye, demanding clear video evidence showing the exact moment of the alleged incident. Second, the Croatian blamed the referee for not following proper procedure, stating, “The referee did not show ‘time-out,’ but stopped the fight and therefore declared me the winner. That decision cannot be changed later!”

Third, he pointed out that his opponent appeared “relaxed” while reviewing the footage for several minutes, giving him time to recover. Fourth, Ante Delija criticized the use of replay, claiming, “Replay used after the interruption – which rules do not allow!!” Finally, in his fifth point, he condemned the continuation of the fight as irregular, concluding with, “Ask for nothing more, just honesty.”

Recently, an MMA page on Instagram shared a slow-motion clip from the overhead angle, revealing that before Delija’s hand reached Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s face, his opponent’s hand deflected it, which then made contact with the eye. Still, what’s done is done, but is there any possible remedy for ‘The Walking Trouble’? In the case of Ante Delija vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta at UFC Vegas 110, an appeal or review by the athletic commission is technically possible.

However, the likelihood of the result being overturned remains minimal. Athletic commissions seldom change fight outcomes unless there’s undeniable proof of an intentional foul, a serious rule breach, or a clear scoring mistake. This setback has halted the Croatian’s momentum and dampened the hopes of those who once viewed him as a future UFC champion.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta shares his perspective on UFC Vegas 110 aftermath

Waldo Cortes-Acosta now holds ten UFC fights to his name, establishing himself as a seasoned competitor with only two career losses. Currently sitting at number six in the heavyweight rankings, the Dominican fighter didn’t anticipate his UFC Vegas 110 matchup would attract more buzz than the main event itself. Heading into the bout, Cortes-Acosta was looking to bounce back from a loss to Sergei Pavlovich at UFC Shanghai in August.

Despite the added pressure, he rose to the occasion and delivered a composed performance under the spotlight. During the fight against Ante Delija, even after claiming he had just 20 percent vision following the alleged eye poke, he powered through and ultimately came out victorious. Later, after the fight, Cortes-Acosta shared his perspective on the incident: “I felt a finger go deep into my eye. The referee said stop, so I stopped. I decided to continue because I felt I could, even though I had only about 20 percent vision in that eye,” he said.

Now, with the video evidence released by Tom Aspinall‘s friend Ante Delija, what’s your take on the latest heavyweight controversy at UFC Vegas 110? Do you believe it was an eye poke from Delija? Share your thoughts below.