Latest news with #YoelRomero
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC Abu Dhabi's Robert Whittaker has been the hunter and the hunted. Now he's both
When Robert Whittaker broke through to win the UFC middleweight title in 2017, it was a different division than it is now. He was just 26 years old at the time, and the staples were a rogue's lineup of elder statesmen. There were the former champions, Luke Rockhold (32), Chris Weidman (33) and Anderson Silva, though at 42 the division's GOAT was watching the sun go down. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza (37) was still around, and Yoel Romero had just turned 40. The Cinderella of the group, Michael Bisping (38), held the title for a brief minute with one good eye. The teeth were long at 185 pounds in 2017, and Whittaker was the young gun coming for blood. These days it's his blood they are coming for. 'I've been in the sport for a long time, and I feel that I've got a couple more years left in me,' Whittaker, now 34, told Uncrowned. 'I'm fortunate that I'm at the tail end of my career, but I'm still young enough to have had all the experience of the fights — everything kind of just accumulating into what I am now, if that makes sense. But I also see the light at the end of the tunnel. 'I'm looking forward to just that last sprint toward greatness and then spending more time with my kids.' Whittaker fights Reiner de Ridder this Saturday in Abu Dhabi, his ninth headlining bout in the UFC. He has fought in three official title bouts, though 2018's Romero rematch would've made it four had the Cuban made weight. Not to use the word lightly, but Whittaker has stood in there long enough to distinguish himself a warrior over the past decade. He's been through brutal wars against Romero that became instant classics, fights that showed the MMA world the depths he was willing to go. He has tamped down would-be contenders with doses of real-time reality, sending Darren Till and Marvin Vettori back to the proverbial drawing boards. We've seen him lose to Israel Adesanya twice, each time only making him more beloved in the eyes of fight fans. These days they sometimes train together. And when Khamzat Chimaev fell out of his scheduled fight in the summer of 2024, Whittaker coldly dished out a knockout against Chimaev's stand-in, Ikram Aliskerov, with one of the fight game's favorite declarations. There are levels. 'I'm very happy with what I've accomplished and what I've achieved in the game,' he says. 'I've climbed every mountain, experienced the highs and the lows of the game, and I've done a lot of good work towards the athletes where I live, towards the sport where I live. I think I've opened a lot of people's eyes that normally wouldn't have happened. So yeah, I'm very happy. I'm very proud of what I've done. 'And I'm not quite done yet.' Of course, Whittaker's native Australia loves him. New Zealand loves him. His Mãori ancestors pack into his lore. He is a national treasure in that part of the world. A pro's pro, and a fighter's fighter. An inspiration to one of the most passionate MMA scenes in the world. He had a nickname for many years of "The Reaper,' which was a little too Blue Öyster Cult for refined tastes. My colleagues Ben Fowlkes and Chad Dundas rechristened him 'Bobby Knuckles' when he was holding the belt, and he has over the years warmed to the designation. "Bobby Knuckles" has a certain ring to it. And when "Bobby Knuckles" says he's not done yet, he means that he wants to make another run at the title — something all the aforementioned names from 2017 had in mind at this juncture of their careers. This time Whittaker, whose name still carries a lot of juice, is being billed as the hunted. Yet in his mind it's the other way around. 'Getting that gold back — that's the ambition right now,' he says. 'To work my way back to the title, get the title, and sail off into the sunset.' In de Ridder, he is facing a hot-rolling UFC newcomer who is 3-0 since debuting this past November against Gerald Meerschaert. Since then, in the span of eight months, "RDR" has choked out Kevin Holland and demystified Bo Nickal, the latter an eye-opening fight that launched de Ridder into Whittaker's stratosphere. Though he is a new face in the UFC, the Dutch fighter is a former two-division champion at ONE Championship with plenty of experience. 'If you know who he is, he's done work,' Whittaker says. 'He's been two-time champion, other divisions, he's been around. He's as experienced as I am, so I need to take that with the respect that deserves going in there against another vet. He's very good at what he does, very good at his craft. It's going to be a hard fight, but I've been working diligently for it and look forward to putting on a show.' BetMGM has Whittaker as a slight favorite for the fight, though he might've been a bigger one had the last visual not been such a tough one to take. The image of Chimaev getting Whittaker in his clutches remains. The face crank. The face turning red. The immediate tap. The X-ray with the row of displaced teeth, that alarmed so many to behold such an unnatural sight. 'I got rid of them,' Whittaker says simply of those dislodged teeth, as if any trauma was extracted at the dentist's office. 'That's over. No weakness.' This is Whittaker in the twilight of his own career. He's been the dude who was coming for the older guys, the experienced, brand-name champions who were in his way in the mid-2010s. Now he's in the way. 'I don't know if the middleweight division is better now, it's different,' he says. 'But this new wave of fighters, man, their skill sets are so complete. They have it all. They started jiu-jitsu from when they were young. They were doing boxing from when they were young. They've been doing it from teens, from kids. They've been training for this sport. 'And yeah, you can see the skill level of the top guys really start to stand out.' That's what Whittaker says out loud, though in the Octagon he'll have something else to say about it.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Yahoo
Romero Stabbed With Samurai Sword, Attacker (And Former BKFC Fighter) Acquitted
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) announced last month that it terminated its relationship with Bantamweight champion, Alberto Blas, because of unprofessional conduct. In a press release, BKFC outlined the reasons for the decision: BKFC values discipline, accountability, and respect for the sport both inside and outside the ring. While the athlete's performance inside the squared circle has been exceptional, repeated incidents and conduct inconsistent with the values and image of the organization have made it necessary to part ways. 'We have a responsibility to uphold the integrity of our promotion and the sport as a whole. There were multiple infractions that went into this decision. We wish him well in his future endeavors,' said BKFC president David Feldman. BKFC remains committed to promoting world-class athletes who embody the grit and professionalism that define bare knuckle fighting. A decision regarding the future of the now-vacant 135lb title will be announced shortly. One of Blas' reported infractions has recently come to public attention, revealing a serious incident from 2022 in which he was arrested in Miami-Dade County, Fla., on charges of attempted felony murder, causing injury and battery. The victim was reportedly former three-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title challenger (and newly-signed BKFC fighter), Yoel Romero. MMA YouTube channel Ragdoll MMA recently released a video about the incident, and an anonymous source cited in the video described the incident. According to the video, it reportedly began with a verbal altercation between Blas and Romero at American Top Team. The argument escalated and moved to the parking lot, where Blas allegedly attempted to strike Romero with his car. After missing Romero twice, Blas reportedly exited his vehicle, retrieved a sword from his trunk, and struck Romero twice in the arm and hand. Romero was hospitalized to treat his injuries, which included a damaged tendon in his arm, according to multiple sources confirming the incident to Authorities were notified, and Blas was later arrested and charged with attempted felony second-degree murder and misdemeanor battery. Romero attended all court dates, but did not testify, and Blas was ultimately acquitted by a jury on all charges back in Dec. 2024. The incident was not widely publicized at the time, with Romero reportedly keeping the matter private. has verified the details of the incident through multiple sources, confirming its accuracy. What makes this incident even crazier is that Romero competed twice in 2022, even though he had a damaged tendon, stopping both of his opponents (watch highlights). Since his release from BKFC, Blas has signed with rival bareknuckle promotion, BKB. For more bareknuckle boxing-related news and notes click here. More from Miocic Responds To Pressure From White And Cormier White On 'Possibly' Stripping Miocic UFC 249 Embedded: Rousey Nearly Knocked Out Cruz? Midnight Mania! Sterling Vs. Sandhagen Possible June 6 Headliner UFC 249 Odds, Under Dogs And Best Bets! Khabib Plans July Return, Vows To 'Smash Them All' Video! Jacare Breaks Social Distancing Rules Prior To UFC 249 Removal
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
David Feldman: Several fighters already turned down Yoel Romero for BKFC debut
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – David Feldman is already struggling to find an opponent for Yoel Romero's BKFC debut. Former UFC and Bellator title challenger Romero was introduced to the BKFC roster during Thursday's Champions Summit press conference. The BKFC president revealed that Romero will make his promotional debut in fall, but they're still trying to find him a matchup. "We have a couple of guys who already turned it down, and then we just had one guy that said he would take it," Feldman told MMA Junkie. "We don't know if that fight is going to happen, but I'm very excited about it – especially because he's going to make his debut Sept. 12 here at the Hard Rock. So in Miami, where he's from, and to see Yoel Romero with the gloves off, I mean, that's a dangerous thing." BKFC also signed former UFC fighters Thiago Santos, Aspen Ladd, and Derek Brunson, which has Feldman excited at the growth of the company. "It's amazing," Feldman said. "It's just like a testament to never giving up, and that's the truth because I wanted to quit like 20 times. This is not easy. This is hard. If you're not 120 percent fully committed to making this thing work, it can't work. I'm happy we saw it through, because a couple of times we actually hit dead ends, and we were like, 'This is over,' and we found a way to keep it going. "Now I think we're one of the top combat sports promotions in the entire world. Everybody's excited about it. We've got the biggest guy in all of combat sports as our partner, Conor McGregor, so things are going really, really great for us, and I'm very, very happy where we're at."
USA Today
11-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC veteran Yoel Romero explains decision to sign with BKFC, still plans on continuing MMA
Now with BKFC, Yoel Romero plans to do both bareknuckle boxing and MMA. HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Yoel Romero is expanding his portfolio in the combat sports world. The former UFC title challenger and fan-favorite fighter will be taking his talent to bareknuckle boxing, as he's signed with leading promotion BKFC. It was a move that excited many fans given Romero's power, athleticism, and rawness. The move to BKFC was something had been brewing for several years, but just now did all the pieces come together. "When I left the UFC, (BKFC) was always very interested," Romero told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "In fact, that's when I came to know about them and we had a meeting with my manager, so there was a possibility there, but I wanted to continue fighting in MMA. So now that I leave Bellator, I was going to start with GFL, but now after what happened with GFL, we're looking for the best options to fight. Dave again reached out, along with Conor McGregor, who likes me, and said, 'Now is the time. Stop saying no, now is the time.'" A big selling point for Romero to sign with BKFC was the promotion willingness to allow him continuing his storied MMA career. Despite being signed with BKFC, Romero is able to fight in MMA and work with any promotion he wishes. "They did a great job because BKFC did a great job with my manager by giving me the opportunity, but also staying flexible. I can do BKFC, but also continue doing MMA," Romero said. "There are several organizations that are still interested in me fighting for them in MMA. But remember, everything has to be right with the purse. Everything has to be right with the purse. When you get to a certain level, the pay has to be right. You have legacy. You have name. So we're in agreement with BKFC: We're in. Now we're just negotiating the details of my debut in the ring." Apart from his brutal performances, Romero has made a name for himself being an ageless wonder. The 2000 Olympic Silver medalist in wrestling turned 48 this past April and continues to deliver knockouts. As mentioned in the past to MMA Junkie, "The Soldier of God" plans to match Bernard Hopkins retirement age of 52 and then call it quits, so long his body holds up. "That's the first thing I always have in mind: Bernand Hopkins," Romero said. "I plan on retiring at 52, but retire well, without taking a beating. That's why I live a very clean life and stay disciplined, to have a long career."
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC veteran Yoel Romero explains decision to sign with BKFC, still plans on continuing MMA
HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Yoel Romero is expanding his portfolio in the combat sports world. The former UFC title challenger and fan-favorite fighter will be taking his talent to bareknuckle boxing, as he's signed with leading promotion BKFC. It was a move that excited many fans given Romero's power, athleticism, and rawness. The move to BKFC was something had been brewing for several years, but just now did all the pieces come together. Advertisement "When I left the UFC, (BKFC) was always very interested," Romero told Hablemos MMA in Spanish. "In fact, that's when I came to know about them and we had a meeting with my manager, so there was a possibility there, but I wanted to continue fighting in MMA. So now that I leave Bellator, I was going to start with GFL, but now after what happened with GFL, we're looking for the best options to fight. Dave again reached out, along with Conor McGregor, who likes me, and said, 'Now is the time. Stop saying no, now is the time.'" A big selling point for Romero to sign with BKFC was the promotion willingness to allow him continuing his storied MMA career. Despite being signed with BKFC, Romero is able to fight in MMA and work with any promotion he wishes. "They did a great job because BKFC did a great job with my manager by giving me the opportunity, but also staying flexible. I can do BKFC, but also continue doing MMA," Romero said. "There are several organizations that are still interested in me fighting for them in MMA. But remember, everything has to be right with the purse. Everything has to be right with the purse. When you get to a certain level, the pay has to be right. You have legacy. You have name. So we're in agreement with BKFC: We're in. Now we're just negotiating the details of my debut in the ring." Advertisement Apart from his brutal performances, Romero has made a name for himself being an ageless wonder. The 2000 Olympic Silver medalist in wrestling turned 48 this past April and continues to deliver knockouts. As mentioned in the past to MMA Junkie, "The Soldier of God" plans to match Bernard Hopkins retirement age of 52 and then call it quits, so long his body holds up. "That's the first thing I always have in mind: Bernand Hopkins," Romero said. "I plan on retiring at 52, but retire well, without taking a beating. That's why I live a very clean life and stay disciplined, to have a long career." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC veteran Yoel Romero explains decision to sign with BKFC
