Middleweight · “Soldier of God”
Yoel Romero
17-7-0 UFC 9-4-0
One-Punch Power
Takedown-Proof
Granite Chin
Finisher
6'0"Height
73"Reach
SouthpawStance
49Age
7KO wins
0Sub wins
77.8%Finish rate
14:43Avg fight
Skill profile
striking
elite
1 read
grappling
not yet read
wrestling
elite
1 read
cardio
not yet read
durability
not yet read
One-Punch Power
10 knockdowns · 0.78 per 15 min
Takedown-Proof
29 of 36 takedowns stuffed
Granite Chin
dropped once in 191 minutes of cage time · 0 losses by knockout
Finisher
78% of wins by knockout or submission (7 KO, 0 sub)
Career rates — the raw numbers behind the chart
Sig. strikes landed / min3.49
Sig. strikes absorbed / min3.11
Striking accuracy49.3%
Striking defense60.7%
Knockdowns / 15 min0.78
Takedowns / 15 min1.65
Takedown accuracy33.3%
Takedown defense80.6%
Sub attempts / 15 min0.0
Control time12.8%
Record vs .500+ opponents8-4
Insider info
Yoel Romero favored over Melvin Manhoef emphatic Bellator 285 (Dublin) · September 21, 2022
strikingelite
wrestlingelite
Romero's physical gifts, power, and wrestling pedigree make him a heavy favorite, especially since his losses have come exclusively against top-tier names while his opponent's recent losses came against lesser competition.
Even in his mid-40s, Romero is framed as a physical outlier — huge size and reach advantages, extraordinary athleticism, and genuinely fight-ending power in either hand. His wrestling pedigree is elite, though he doesn't always use it to fully control fights and can go through inactive stretches instead of pressing the advantage. Crucially, his career losses have all come against clearly elite-level opposition, which sets him apart from an opponent whose recent losses came against lesser competition. All of that adds up to an easy, high-confidence pick.
Strengthelite physical tools (size, athleticism, durability)
Strengthfight-ending power
Strengthelite wrestling pedigree
Strengthlosses have come only against top-tier opposition
Weaknesscan go passive/inactive instead of pressing his wrestling advantage
Weaknessadvanced age for the sport
Striking trend
Fight history
L Israel Adesanya 18-0 walk-in TITLE Decision - Unanimous · R5 5:00 — UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero · March 7, 2020
40/89Sig. strikes
48/132Absorbed
0/3Takedowns
0:00Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Paulo Costa 12-0 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2 · August 17, 2019
125/284Sig. strikes
118/213Absorbed
1/4Takedowns
0:12Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Robert Whittaker 19-4 walk-in Decision - Split · R5 5:00 — UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 · June 9, 2018
111/240Sig. strikes
128/326Absorbed
3/10Takedowns
4:21Control
2Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Luke Rockhold 16-3 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 1:48 — UFC 221: Romero vs. Rockhold · February 10, 2018
45/92Sig. strikes
45/119Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:08Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Robert Whittaker 18-4 walk-in TITLE Decision - Unanimous · R5 5:00 — UFC 213: Romero vs. Whittaker · July 8, 2017
48/107Sig. strikes
74/221Absorbed
4/18Takedowns
5:15Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Chris Weidman 13-1 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 0:24 — UFC 205: Alvarez vs McGregor · November 12, 2016
18/40Sig. strikes
12/47Absorbed
2/3Takedowns
1:52Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Jacare Souza 5-0 walk-in Decision - Split · R3 5:00 — UFC 194: Aldo vs McGregor · December 12, 2015
46/92Sig. strikes
30/52Absorbed
0/1Takedowns
1:58Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Lyoto Machida 22-6 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 1:38 — UFC Fight Night: Machida vs Romero · June 27, 2015
42/70Sig. strikes
31/64Absorbed
1/2Takedowns
0:05Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Tim Kennedy 18-4 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 0:58 — UFC 178: Johnson vs Cariaso · September 27, 2014
39/80Sig. strikes
30/86Absorbed
3/4Takedowns
2:06Control
2Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Brad Tavares 12-1 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC on FOX: Werdum vs Browne · April 19, 2014
31/48Sig. strikes
21/70Absorbed
7/12Takedowns
6:48Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Derek Brunson 11-2 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 3:23 — UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs Philippou · January 15, 2014
60/94Sig. strikes
38/94Absorbed
0/4Takedowns
0:53Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Ronny Markes 14-1 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 1:39 — UFC Fight Night: Fight for the Troops 3 · November 6, 2013
50/104Sig. strikes
18/75Absorbed
0/1Takedowns
0:49Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Clifford Starks 8-1 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 1:32 — UFC on FOX: Henderson vs Melendez · April 20, 2013
12/12Sig. strikes
3/18Absorbed
0/1Takedowns
0:03Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
Walk-in records count UFC bouts in this database. For the pre-UFC career, see the record breakdown below or the Tapology button up top.
Record breakdown
Wins by method
KO/TKO
13
Submission
1
Decision
3
Other
0
Losses by method
KO/TKO
1
Submission
0
Decision
6
Other
0
Fights by organization
UFC
13
Bellator
4
Fight of the Night
2
Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA
1
PFL vs. Bellator
1
Strikeforce
1
Superior FC
1
Infinite Fighting Federation
1
Full career — 24 fights, every organization
| Opponent | Method | Event | Org | Rd | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | Alex Nicholson | TKO (submission to punches) | Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA 10
May 1, 2026 |
Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA | 1 | 1:11 |
| W | Thiago Santos | Decision (unanimous) | PFL vs. Bellator
February 24, 2024 |
PFL vs. Bellator | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Vadim Nemkov | Decision (unanimous) | Bellator 297
June 16, 2023 |
Bellator | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Melvin Manhoef | KO (elbows) | Bellator 285
September 23, 2022 |
Bellator | 3 | 3:34 |
| W | Alex Polizzi | TKO (punches) | Bellator 280
May 6, 2022 |
Bellator | 3 | 4:59 |
| L | Phil Davis | Decision (split) | Bellator 266
September 18, 2021 |
Bellator | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Israel Adesanya | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 248
March 7, 2020 |
UFC | 5 | 5:00 |
| L | Paulo Costa | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 241
August 17, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Robert Whittaker | Decision (split) | UFC 225
June 9, 2018 |
UFC | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Luke Rockhold | KO (punches) | UFC 221
February 11, 2018 |
UFC | 3 | 1:48 |
| L | Robert Whittaker | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 213
July 8, 2017 |
UFC | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Chris Weidman | KO (flying knee) | UFC 205
November 12, 2016 |
UFC | 3 | 0:24 |
| W | Ronaldo Souza | Decision (split) | UFC 194
December 12, 2015 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Lyoto Machida | KO (elbows) | UFC Fight Night: Machida vs. Romero
June 27, 2015 |
UFC | 3 | 1:38 |
| W | Tim Kennedy | TKO (punches) | UFC 178
September 27, 2014 |
UFC | 3 | 0:58 |
| W | Brad Tavares | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Werdum vs. Browne
April 19, 2014 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Derek Brunson | TKO (punches and elbows) | UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Philippou
January 15, 2014 |
UFC | 3 | 3:23 |
| W | Ronny Markes | KO (punches) | UFC: Fight for the Troops 3
November 6, 2013 |
UFC | 3 | 1:39 |
| W | Clifford Starks | KO (flying knee and punches) | UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Melendez
April 20, 2013 |
UFC | 1 | 1:32 |
| L | Rafael Cavalcante | KO (punches) | Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov
September 10, 2011 |
Strikeforce | 2 | 4:51 |
| W | Laszlo Eck | KO (punch) | Fight of the Night 2011
May 27, 2011 |
Fight of the Night | 1 | 0:33 |
| W | Ņikita Petrovs | TKO (retirement) | Superior FC 4
March 5, 2011 |
Superior FC | 1 | 2:58 |
| W | Michał Fijałka | TKO (retirement) | Infinite Fighting Federation: The Eternal Struggle
October 8, 2010 |
Infinite Fighting Federation | 3 | 4:05 |
| W | Sascha Weinpolter | TKO (punches) | Fight of the Night 2009
December 20, 2009 |
Fight of the Night | 1 | 0:48 |
Career history from the fighter's Wikipedia record table (Yoel Romero) — results only, no strike stats; UFC bouts are marked and carry full stats in the fight history above.