Cortes-Acosta and Blaydes set for heavyweight showdown at Noche UFC 4 on Sept. 19

Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Curtis Blaydes are being targeted for a heavyweight matchup at Noche UFC 4 on September 19, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck and Damon Martin. A location for the event has yet to be determined.

Cortes-Acosta enters the bout ranked No. 7 in the heavyweight division with a record of 17-3. The Dominican contender put together a strong 2025 run, stringing together three consecutive victories that included back-to-back wins over Ante Delija and Shamil Gaziev in November, before closing the year with a second-round knockout of Derrick Lewis. His momentum stalled in 2026, however, when he dropped a decision to Alexander Volkov at UFC 328.

Blaydes, ranked No. 8 at 19-6 with one no-contest, has struggled for consistency in recent years, losing three of his past five outings. His most recent appearance came at UFC 327, where he fell to a decision loss against Josh Hokit in a three-round contest that earned both fighters a $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus.

The matchup was first reported by MMA Junkie. With both men coming off defeats and sitting just one spot apart in the rankings, the fight carries genuine implications for the heavyweight title picture — a win for either contender would represent a significant step back toward championship contention.