Waldo Cortes-Acosta had a blockbuster start to his MMA career, very much like his upcoming opponent, Sergei Pavlovich. Therefore, he is determined to bring the Russian heavyweight to his knees on Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night 257. From Ringside Unified Fighting to Bellator and even Dana White’s Contender Series, the 33-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, Acosta suffered his first career upset against Marcos Rogerio de Lima in 2023, losing a 3-round fight via unanimous decision. Since then, he has managed to build up a five-fight win streak. However, a tough test awaits in Shanghai, China, as he prepares to face Pavlovich. Before the heavyweight attempts to create an upset, here’s everything you need to know about Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s background, especially his ethnicity.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s ethnicity and nationality

Waldo ‘Salsa Boy’ Cortes-Acosta proudly represents the Dominican Republic on the global stage. He was born on October 3, 1991, in Fundación, Barahona Province. His surname, an amalgamation of ‘Cortez’ and ‘Acosta,’ has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, reflecting Spanish linguistic and cultural background. Even though specific details about his parents aren’t available, he likely has Spanish ancestry, which is common among people from the Dominican Republic thanks to its colonial history.

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. 

Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s UFC Career

The 33-year-old made his UFC debut back in October 2022 after defeating Danilo Suzart via first-round knockout in Dana White’s Contender Series in August of the same year. He faced Jared Vanderaa in his debut fight and moved on to Chase Sherman in the span of two months, winning both via unanimous decision. 

But in April 2023, Marcos Rogerio de Lima handed Cortes-Acosta his first career loss. Yet, he bounced back with a strong 1st round knockout win over Lukasz Brzeski. In 2024, he fought twice against Andrei Arlovski and Robelis Despaigne, recording unanimous decision wins. In his next fight earlier this year, the Dominican Republic native kicked things up a notch.

He knocked out Ryan Spann in the second round, but went back to a unanimous decision against Serghei Spivac. Now he has a 14-1 record. Sergei Pavlovich will be his toughest opponent to date. 

With the stage set, Cortes-Acosta is in a do-or-die situation. Beating the Russian heavyweight can push him into the limelight, but the question remains: Does he have what it takes to rub shoulders with the UFC elites?