Waldo Cortes-Acosta Scores Controversial Knockout Over Ante Delija at UFC Vegas 110

At UFC Vegas 110, the heavyweight co-main event between Ante Delija and Waldo Cortes-Acosta ended in controversy due to an eye poke incident. Delija appeared to finish the fight with a flurry of strikes, leading referee Mark Smith to stop the bout, but after a video review showed Delija had poked Cortes-Acosta in the eye, the fight was controversially resumed despite Cortes-Acosta's impaired vision. Moments later, Cortes-Acosta landed a knockout punch that secured his victory, a dramatic turnaround praised for its rarity and resilience. Delija publicly expressed frustration, arguing the rules were broken, the fight should have been stopped, and he was robbed of a fair outcome. This incident echoed a similar eye poke controversy involving Delija's teammate Tom Aspinall in a recent UFC title fight, highlighting ongoing concerns about officiating and rule enforcement related to fouls in the heavyweight division. Cortes-Acosta, despite his injury, declared readiness to challenge Aspinall for the heavyweight title, underscoring the high stakes and drama surrounding the division.