Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Curtis Blaydes in the works for Noche UFC 4

Heavyweight contenders Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Curtis Blaydes are set to clash at Noche UFC 4 on September 19, though a venue has yet to be finalized.

MMA Fighting's Mike Heck and Damon Martin confirmed the matchup with sources familiar with the booking. Cortes-Acosta (17-3), ranked No. 7, enters fresh off a decision loss to Alexander Volkov at UFC 328 in early 2026. Despite that setback, he had enjoyed a strong run heading into 2026, capping a productive 2025 with back-to-back November victories over Ante Delija and Shamil Gaziev before landing a second-round knockout of Derrick Lewis.

Blaydes (19-6, 1 NC), ranked No. 8, has struggled to build momentum in recent years, dropping three of his last five bouts. His most recent outing came at UFC 327, where he lost a competitive decision to Josh Hokit in a Fight of the Night-caliber three-round battle that earned both men $100,000 bonuses.

The pairing pits two heavyweights seeking to climb the contender rankings. A win for either fighter could reignite their trajectory toward title contention in a division where consistency has proven elusive for both men in their recent campaigns.