While Tom Aspinall works his way back to the cage, the heavyweight division continues to undergo a gradual shift. Another fight with the potential to reshape the picture is now around the corner. Tomorrow, a three-round bout between rising UFC star Waldo Cortes-Acosta and veteran Alexander Volkov will feature in the main card segment of UFC 328 in Newark.
While the event has generated significant buzz because of the headliner bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland, the fight between Cortes-Acosta and Volkov is also drawing considerable attention. Much of that interest now extends beyond the cage and into the fighters’ personal lives, especially the money. In this segment, we break down the numbers behind Cortes-Acosta’s rise.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s net worth
Finding an exact estimate for the Dominican’s net worth is not easy. Details surrounding his finances remain limited, particularly because much of his early career unfolded outside the UFC. Still, a few outlets have attempted to estimate where things currently stand for the 34-year-old.
For instance, based on the available information regarding his fight purse, bonuses, and endorsements, Sporting Salaries estimates it to be around $500,000.
That uncertainty likely stems from the Dominican native’s early participation in non-UFC promotions. Information related to his fight purses from his RUF, Bellator, or LFA days remains limited.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s UFC payouts
As Cortes-Acosta’s standing in the heavyweight division continued to rise, his UFC payouts gradually followed the same path.
Back in 2022, when he made his UFC debut, the numbers were modest. Against Jared Vanderaa, for instance, he took home roughly $24k. A few months later, the payout increased slightly when he fought Chase Sherman, with Cortes-Acosta reportedly making around $36K from the bout.
The following year, in 2023, he fought twice, with one fight ending in a loss. Even so, his annual earnings continued to climb. With fight purses amounting to $52,000 and an additional bonus of $28K, his total earnings moved close to $90K.
The Dominican heavyweight then put together a five-fight win streak before Sergei Pavlovich handed him his second UFC loss. Around the same time, however, his payouts climbed into six-figure territory. In 2024 alone, he made around $136,000, including $68k in win bonuses.
Financially, 2025 proved even more rewarding for Cortes-Acosta. The bouts against Ryan Spann and Serghei Spivac reportedly earned him more than $200,000 combined.
Even the loss against Pavlovich reportedly fetched him roughly $100k, highlighting how quickly his market value had grown.
Despite the setback, his earnings remained steady alongside his growing profile. In November alone, he fought twice, with bouts against Ante Delija and Shamil Ghaziev earning him back-to-back Performance of the Night honors.
Reportedly, he received over $100k for each bout. His earnings jumped again when Cortes-Acosta faced Derrick Lewis earlier this year. Participation in the inaugural UFC event under Paramount reportedly earned him another $200,000.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta’s professional career
For a fighter who has climbed from relative obscurity to heavyweight relevance, Cortes-Acosta’s career deserves a closer look.
Waldo Cortes-Acosta has been a professional fighter since 2017. While he made his debut as a professional boxer and has a few fights to his credit, he soon transitioned to MMA.
He made his MMA debut with Iron Boy MMA in Arizona in 2018 before later moving to RUF (Ringside Unified Fighting) following a three-year break.
From there, Cortes-Acosta’s rise accelerated quickly. After becoming a champion at LFA (Legacy Fighting Alliance), he participated in Dana White’s Contender Series. The TKO win over Danilo Suzart earned him enough recognition to secure a UFC contract.
But the road inside the UFC was not entirely smooth. After defeating Vanderaa and Sherman, Cortes-Acosta suffered a loss to Marcos Rogério de Lima. Still, he responded with a first-round KO of Łukasz Brzeski at UFC Fight Night: Holloway vs. The Korean Zombie.
The Dominican then put together another strong run before Pavlovich defeated him on the scorecards this past August. Yet Cortes-Acosta quickly bounced back with victories over Delija and Gaziev within a span of weeks.
With this year’s victory over former title challenger Derrick Lewis, Cortes-Acosta has moved one step closer to serious heavyweight contention. Now, attention shifts to how he handles another major test tomorrow night against Volkov.
