Yoel Romero continues to defy age and expectations in the world of combat sports. Recently, Romero achieved a knockout victory, marking a successful bare-knuckle boxing debut at the remarkable age of 48. This victory adds another chapter to his already illustrious career, which spans wrestling, mixed martial arts (MMA), and now bare-knuckle fighting.
Romero's journey in combat sports dates back to the 1990s when he began training in wrestling. He quickly distinguished himself as a standout freestyle wrestler, representing Cuba at the FILA Wrestling World Championships from 1997 to 2005. In 1999, he became a world champion by defeating Khadzhimurad Magomedov of Russia, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist.
Romero competed in both the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, representing Cuba. He secured a silver medal in the 2000 freestyle competition, losing to Adam Saitiev in the finals, and finished in fourth place in 2004. His wrestling career also includes a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games and multiple medal-winning finishes at the FILA Wrestling World Cup.
Transition to MMA
After defecting to Germany in 2007, Romero transitioned to professional mixed martial arts, making his debut in December 2009. From 2008 to 2011, he trained with Serge Kuftin and Zike Simic. Romero won his debut via TKO against Sascha Weinpolter and followed up with a 62-second TKO finish against Ricky Pulu.
In July 2011, Romero signed with Strikeforce, making his debut against Rafael Cavalcante on September 10, 2011, at Strikeforce 36. Although he lost the fight via KO in the second round, this marked his entry into a larger MMA promotion.
Read also: Romero's Rise in Boxing
UFC Career
After Strikeforce was acquired by the UFC, Romero made his promotional and middleweight debut against Clifford Starks on April 20, 2013, at UFC on Fox 7. He won the fight with a spectacular flying knee knockout in the first round.
THE LEGEND - YOEL ROMERO - BEST KNOCKOUTS / HIGHLIGHTS [HD] 2022
Romero eventually faced Derek Brunson on January 15, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 35. After trailing for two rounds, Romero won the fight in the third via TKO. He then faced Tim Kennedy on September 27, 2014, at UFC 178, winning by TKO in the third round in a fight that generated considerable controversy due to the extra time Romero received between rounds.
Fights against Ronaldo Souza were repeatedly scheduled and cancelled due to injuries. Romero faced former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida on June 27, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 70, headlining his first UFC event.
Championship Bouts and Controversies
Romero was set to face David Branch at UFC on Fox 28, but instead, he replaced Robert Whittaker in a fight for the interim UFC Middleweight Championship against Luke Rockhold at UFC 221. Despite winning the fight via KO in the third round, Romero missed weight and was ineligible for the interim title.
A rematch with Whittaker took place on June 9, 2018, at UFC 225. Romero again missed weight, and the fight proceeded as a non-title catchweight bout, which he lost by a close split decision. He faced Paulo Costa on August 17, 2019, at UFC 241, losing after three rounds.
Read also: BKFC Albuquerque
Bellator and Beyond
In 2021, Romero joined Bellator and participated in the Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament. He also competed in a submission grappling match against Chris Barnett in 2019.
BKFC Debut
Romero's latest venture is into the world of bare-knuckle boxing. He made his debut at BKFC 80, where he faced Theo Doukas. Romero dominated the fight, knocking down Doukas multiple times before securing a TKO victory in the second round. This successful debut has opened up new possibilities, including a potential shot at the BKFC heavyweight title, currently held by fellow UFC alumnus Ben Rothwell.
The latest testament that Romero still remains a force to be reckoned with came last Friday, as the Cuban fighter made his bareknuckle boxing debut in the co-main event of BKFC 80 in Hollywood, Fla. Romero broke down and knocked down his opponent Theo Doukas multiple times before getting the stoppage win in the second round of their heavyweight contest. It was a flawless debut for "The Soldier of God."
You can watch Romero's full bareknuckle boxing debut in the video above.
Controversies
In 2016, Romero faced a potential doping violation stemming from an out-of-competition test. He explained that he had taken a contaminated supplement. USADA confirmed the supplement contained a banned substance not listed on the label, leading to a six-month suspension.
Read also: Recovery Tips for Bare Knuckle Fighters
Career Achievements
Romero's accolades include:
- Knockout of the Night (One time)
- Performance of the Night (Two times)
- Fight of the Night (Five times)
- 2019: President's Choice Fight of the Year Nominee
- 2016: Ranked #10 Knockout of the Year
- 2018: Fight of the Year
- 2019: Ranked #3 Fight of the Year
- 2019 August Fight of the Month
His fights against Robert Whittaker have been particularly noted, earning Fight of the Year honors.
Upcoming Fights
Here are Romero's scheduled and recent fights:
| Fight | Date | Location | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROMERO vs DOUKAS | September 12, 2025 | HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO HOLLYWOOD, FL | Win |
| HUNT vs ROMERO | February 7, 2026 | Xfinity Mobile Arena - Philadelphia, PA | Scheduled |