Ante Delija’s second UFC appearance ended in controversy on November 1, 2025, when a technicality involving an eye poke and subsequent replay review ultimately cost the Croatian heavyweight a potential victory. Fighting Waldo Cortes-Acosta in the co-main event at UFC Fight Night 263, Delija appeared to secure a first-round stoppage, only to have the decision overturned after officials reviewed footage of an accidental eye poke, leading to the fight’s resumption and his subsequent knockout loss at 3:59 of the first round.
Ante Delija vs. Waldo Cortes-Acosta and The Eye Poke
Delija, riding momentum from his UFC debut knockout victory over Marcin Tybura in September, dominated the early exchanges against the sixth-ranked Cortes-Acosta.