“I’ve Been Robbed” Ante Delija Alleges Multiple Rule Violations After UFC Reverses His Victory on Eye Poke Replay Review
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. During an aggressive exchange, Delija’s finger made contact with Cortes-Acosta’s eye as he unleashed a combination, followed by a flurry of strikes that forced referee Mark Smith to intervene. Smith’s action initially appeared to signify the fight’s conclusion.
However, the situation took an unexpected turn when officials from the Nevada Athletic Commission reviewed video footage. Executive Director Jeff Mullen and referee Eric McMahon examined replays that clearly showed an eye poke had occurred before the knockout punches. Under UFC rules, an unintentional eye poke can result in either a no-contest or the opportunity for the fouled fighter to continue after receiving up to five minutes of recovery time. Cortes-Acosta, despite severely limited vision in his injured eye, chose to continue.
Following the restart, Cortes-Acosta immediately applied pressure, landing a precisely timed counter right hand that dropped Delija. The Dominican fighter followed with ground strikes until Smith stopped the contest, awarding Cortes-Acosta the victory and a Performance of the Night bonus. Cortes-Acosta later explained his decision to continue in an interview: “I felt like I could continue. My eye is like 20 percent vision but I don’t give a f***.”
Ante Delija Responds
Delija’s response came through Instagram posts on November 2, in which he outlined five specific grievances regarding the officiating and ruleset application.
“I’m not sure if I hit him in the eye, I think it’s near the eye and of course I want a video where you can see that sting correctly.”
“The referee did not show ‘time-out’, but stopped the fight and therefore declared me the winner. That decision cannot be changed later!”
“The opponent sat and relaxed while watching the footage for more than a few minutes!”
According to Delija, Cortes-Acosta received an extended recovery period during the replay consultation, giving him time to psychologically reset and physically recuperate beyond what would normally occur during a standard fight timeout.
“Replay used after the interruption – which rules do not allow!!”
Concluding his statement, Delija emphasized: “I ask for nothing more, just honesty. I don’t run from defeat. I respect every opponent and every outcome. But not when rules are broken and I’ve been robbed.”
The incident carried particular irony given Delija’s pre-fight comments. Earlier in the week at media day, Delija had criticized the eye poke issue directly, stating he had competed 33 times without committing a single eye poke and that punishments for such infractions should be severe. This statement proved prescient in an unintended manner.
The timing of the controversy compounded questions about UFC officiating standards. The event occurred just seven days after Tom Aspinall’s heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no-contest following a double eye poke in the first round at UFC 321. Aspinall was unable to continue after the injury and could not resume fighting,.
Cortes-Acosta’s knockout marked his first win in his last seven outings, improving his record significantly following an August loss to Sergei Pavlovich. For Delija, the defeat snapped a two-fight winning streak in the UFC and marked a controversial end to what was shaping as an impressive run for the 35-year-old former PFL heavyweight champion, who had previously trained alongside UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall at Evolution Fitness XL in the United Kingdom.
