LAS VEGAS – Waldo Cortes-Acosta sees himself in prime position if he can get past Derrick Lewis.
Cortes-Acosta (16-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC) faces former title challenger Lewis (29-12 MMA, 20-10 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 324 (Paramount+) main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
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Cortes-Acosta, who fought five times in 2025, initially wanted to fight in December but wound up with a better deal in the promotion’s debut card on Paramount.
“It’s better, too, because it’s my sixth fight in 11 months” Cortes-Acosta told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC 324 media day. “I didn’t get a sixth fight in 2025, but I’m having a sixth fight in 11 months. This is amazing, too.”
The Dominican fighter admits he grew up watching Lewis and is excited for the opportunity.
“I’m a person like, I’m training hard every time,” Cortes-Acosta said. “For Derrick Lewis, when he started, I’d barely been training MMA. I followed him so much because he’s a heavyweight, too, like me. He was one of my favorite fighters before until now, too, let me tell you. This Saturday, one day I was thinking, one day you will be fighting with him, and look at now. This is real, and next Saturday, Jan. 24, it will be happening. It’s amazing for me.”
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With the heavyweight title picture currently unclear, that opportunity could lead to big things for Cortes-Acosta
“I want to fight at the White House,” Cortes-Acosta said. “Latino America, everybody, we support it. More clout, so people can see one Latino fighting at the White House is amazing.”
UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is set to undergo double eye surgery after getting poked in the eye in his title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC 321 this past October. No timeline for his return has been set, but Cortes-Acosta is ready to slide in if necessary.
“It’s possible,” Cortes-Acosta said. “I’d be available for the title shot or interim shot, interim title. Any fight the UFC can put on there, I’ll be fighting, but I want to fight.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 324: Waldo Cortes-Acosta wants White House title fight with win
