Waldo Cortes-Acosta had a blockbuster start to his MMA career and is now gearing up to fight Derrick Lewis in his upcoming match. He looks determined to bring the veteran heavyweight to his knees on Saturday, Jan. 24, at UFC 324. From Ringside Unified Fighting to Bellator and even Dana White’s Contender Series, the 34-year-old had managed to keep his undefeated record intact. However, things changed once he was inside the promotion.

After winning his first nine pro fights, Cortes-Acosta suffered his first career upset against Marcos Rogerio de Lima in 2023. Since then, he has managed to build up a five-fight win streak. But he faced another setback when Sergei Pavlovich defeated him via unanimous decision in August 2025.

Although the 34-year-old stands on a two-fight winning streak, he has yet to be in title shot conversations. Now, this weekend, the heavyweight prospect will have an opportunity to put out a statement victory over a veteran like Lewis. But before that high-stakes fight, here’s everything you need to know about Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s nationality, ethnicity, and religion.

Where Is Waldo Cortes-Acosta From & What Is His Nationality?

Waldo ‘Salsa Boy’ Cortes-Acosta was born on October 3, 1991, in Fundación, Barahona Province. He is Dominican in nationality and proudly represents the Dominican Republic on the global stage. Besides MMA, ‘Salsa Boy’ was fond of baseball, a sport celebrated in his homeland. He even pursued the sport, playing as a pitcher before an unfortunate elbow injury ended his passion.

When he came to the United States, he started drifting towards combat sports. Initially, he considered American football, but language barriers held him back, pushing him more towards MMA. Today, he is a successful UFC fighter and continues to carry his country’s name and lineage on his shoulders.

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What Is Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s Ethnicity?

Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s surname is an amalgamation of ‘Cortez’ and ‘Acosta,’ and has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, reflecting Spanish linguistic and cultural background.

Even though specific details about his parents and family members aren’t available, he likely has Spanish ancestry, which is common among people from the Dominican Republic, thanks to its colonial history.

What Is Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s Religion?

Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s specific religious beliefs aren’t widely publicized. Now, he comes from a Dominican heritage; we can assume, like many Dominicans, he is also Catholic. But that being said, he hasn’t publicly shared his personal faith.

Now, with the stage set, Cortes-Acosta has a massive opportunity to clinch victory over a veteran in the division. Not only that, but Derrick Lewis has the record for most knockouts in UFC history with 16.

Beating ‘The Black Beast’ can push him into the limelight and into title shot conversations. Meanwhile, Lewis has been donning high confidence in his skillset to defeat Cortes-Acosta comfortably. “You didn’t give him a script? First round knockout. Then he’s gonna try to lie and say I poke him in the eye, but it’s not gonna be an eye poke,” Lewis told during the UFC 324 media day.

But amid these conversations, the question remains the same: Does ‘Salsa Boy’ have what it takes to rub shoulders with the UFC elites? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!