Waldo Cortes-Acosta overcomes recent eye poke to save UFC Qatar heavyweight fight after withdrawal

Waldo Cortes-Acosta added to UFC Qatar

Serghei Spivac was supposed to face Shamil Gaziev on the UFC Qatar main card.

However, it was announced on Wednesday that Spivac is no longer scheduled to compete at the event.

ESPN Deportes reporter Carlos Contreras Legaspi confirmed Waldo Cortes-Acosta will step in to save the heavyweight contest.

The 34-year-old knocked out Ante Delija in a controversial UFC Vegas 110 fight on November 1.

Tom Aspinall’s teammate got KO’d moments after an eye poke overturned his stoppage win.

A relatively boring grappling match burst into life towards the end of round one, when Cortes-Acosta started covering up against the fence, and Delija unleashed a barrage of punches to seemingly score a standing TKO finish.

Referee Mark Smith stepped in to wave off the bout, but it quickly became clear there was a foul.

Delija wheeled away in celebration as slow-motion replays showed he had eye-poked his opponent.

Cortes-Acosta was given several minutes to recover before agreeing to continue in the fight.

Moments after the restart, he dropped Delija and pounded him out for an incredible comeback KO win.

UFC Qatar fight card

Waldo Cortes-Acosta targets the champion

Tom Aspinall‘s heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in an eye poke no-contest in October.

After overcoming what the UFC champion couldn’t, Waldo Cortes-Acosta called for a shot at the champion.

“It’s for him being the champion and [he] quit because of the poke in the eye, too,” Cortes-Acosta said while still red-eyed from Ante Delija’s inadvertent foul.

Who will win the UFC Qatar main event?

“[Delija is] his training partner, and then I knock him out in the first round.

“What happens if me and Tom Aspinall fight?

“Because he says, Tom Aspinall, [Delija] is one of the best…

“What happens with Tom Aspinall fighting Waldo Cortes?”

First things first, Cortes-Acosta must get by the #11-ranked heavyweight contender this weekend.