| Alexandr Romanov | |
| Other Names: | King Kong |
| Birth Date: | 11 December 1990 |
| Birth Place: | Comrat, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Residence: | Comrat, Moldova |
| Weight: | 265 lb |
| Weight Class: | Heavyweight |
| Reach: | 75 in[1] |
| Style: | Wrestling |
| Fighting Out Of: | Comrat, Moldova |
| Team: | Lion Club |
| Wrestling: | Olympic Freestyle Wrestling |
| Years Active: | 2016–present (MMA) 2007–present (freestyle wrestling) |
| Mma Kowin: | 6 |
| Mma Subwin: | 9 |
| Mma Decwin: | 2 |
| Mma Koloss: | 1 |
| Mma Subloss: | 1 |
| Mma Decloss: | 1 |
| University: | Comrat State University |
| Sherdog: | 242931 |
Alexander Romanov (born 11 December 1990) is a Moldovan professional mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of August 20, 2024, he is #12 in the UFC heavyweight rankings.[2]
Romanov started training in freestyle wrestling at age seven. He has made four Moldovan World Teams (two as a senior and two as a junior) and eight European Teams (five as a senior, three as an age-group wrestler). His best result has been a bronze medal at the 2016 World University Championships. His last performance to date took place at the 2020 European Wrestling Championships, where he placed twelfth.[3] He is also a two-time UWW grappling European bronze medalist.[4]
Romanov studied at law faculty of Comrat State University and pedagogical faculty of Chișinău Sport Institute.
Alexandr Romanov also competed in sumo for a brief time. While his time in the sport was not long, he won silver in the OPEN European Cup in 2016.[5]
Early in his career after his stint in wrestling, Romanov found Chelsea Edward, a Muay Thai coach. Edward brought Romanov into the sport of MMA and remains his coach to this day.[5]
Romanov compiled a record of 11 wins and no losses while competing in his native Moldova, primarily at Eagles Fighting Championship, where he became the heavyweight champion.[6]
Romanov signed with the UFC on October 3, 2019, and was later scheduled to make his debut against Raphael Pessoa on April 25, 2020.[7] However, the event was subsequently cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]
Romanov was then slated to face Marcin Tybura on July 12, 2020, at UFC 251. However, Romanov was removed from the card on July 1, due to a positive COVID-19 test.[9] He was then scheduled to face Marcos Rogério de Lima on September 5, 2020, at, but the bout was scratched the day of the event when Lima tested positive for COVID-19.[10]
Romanov eventually made his debut on September 12, 2020, at, when he defeated Roque Martinez via arm-triangle choke in the second round.[11]
Next, he faced Marcos Rogério de Lima on November 7, 2020, at . He defeated Lima with the first forearm choke in UFC history, on the first round, to claim Performance of the Night honors.[12]
Romanov faced Juan Espino on April 17, 2021, at .[13] During the beginning of the third round, Espino accidentally connected with a knee to the groin of Romanov, who could not continue. Romanov was declared the winner via technical split decision.[14] 6 out of 8 media scores gave it to Espino, with the other two declaring it a Draw.[15]
Romanov faced Jared Vanderaa on October 9, 2021, at .[16] He won the fight via technical knockout in round two.[17]
Romanov was next expected to face Ilir Latifi at UFC Fight Night 202 on February 19, 2022.[18] However, the bout was cancelled for undisclosed reasons.[19]
Replacing Rodrigo Nascimento, Romanov is scheduled to face Tanner Boser on April 23, 2022, at UFC Fight Night 205.[20] However, on April 18, it was announced that Boser was out of the fight due to an injury.[21] He was replaced by Chase Sherman.[22] However, Sherman was deemed unable to compete due to a minor health issue on the day of the event and the fight was cancelled and the pair was rescheduled for UFC on ESPN 35.[23] Romanov won the bout via keylock submission in the first round.[24]
Romanov faced Marcin Tybura on August 20, 2022, at UFC 278.[25] Romanov lost the fight via a controversial majority decision.[26] 17 of 18 MMA media outlets scored the bout as a draw.[27]
Romanov faced Alexander Volkov on March 11, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 221.[28] He lost the fight via technical knockout in the first round.[29]
Romanov faced Blagoy Ivanov at UFC on ESPN 48 on 1 July 2023.[30] He won the fight by unanimous decision.[31]
Romanov faced Jailton Almeida on June 1, 2024 at UFC 302.[32] He lost in the first round via rear-naked choke in his first submission loss.[33]
Romanov was originally scheduled to face former UFC Heavyweight Championship challenger Derrick Lewis on November 2, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 246.[34] However, opponents were changed and Romanov will instead face Rodrigo Nascimento.[35]
Romanov competed against Chris Daukaus at Fury Pro Grappling 8 on December 30, 2023.[36] Romanov won the match by decision.[37]
Romanov faced Roosevelt Sousa at Pit Submission Series 7 on July 25, 2024.[38] He lost the match by submission.[39]
Romanov was born to a Russian father and Ukrainian mother and raised in Moldova.[40] He and his wife have three children.[41]
|-|Loss|align=center|17–3|Jailton Almeida|Submission (rear-naked choke) |UFC 302||align=center|1|align=center|2:27|Newark, New Jersey, United States||-|Win|align=center|17–2|Blagoy Ivanov|Decision (unanimous)|||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Loss|align=center|16–2|Alexander Volkov|TKO (punches)|||align=center|1|align=center|2:16|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Loss|align=center|16–1|Marcin Tybura|Decision (majority)|UFC 278||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Salt Lake City, Utah, United States||-|Win|align=center|16–0|Chase Sherman|Submission (keylock)| ||align=center|1|align=center|2:11|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|15–0|Jared Vanderaa|TKO (punches) |||align=center|2|align=center|4:43|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|14–0|Juan Espino|Technical Decision (split)|||align=center|3|align=center|1:05|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|13–0|Marcos Rogério de Lima|Technical Submission (forearm choke)|||align=center|1|align=center|4:48|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-| Win| align=center| 12–0| Roque Martinez| Submission (arm-triangle choke)|||align=center|2|align=center|4:22|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-| Win| align=center|11–0| Sérgio Freitas| TKO (submission to injury)| Eagles FC 11| | align=center|1| align=center|2:28| Chișinău, Moldova||-| Win| align=center|10–0| Sultan Murtazaliev| TKO (punches)| Eagles FC 10| | align=center|3| align=center|2:17| Chișinău, Moldova||-| Win| align=center|9–0| Virgil Zwicker| Submission (neck crank)|S-70: Plotforma Cup 2018||align=center|1|align=center|1:15|Sochi, Russia||-| Win| align=center|8–0| Ion Grigore|Submission (forearm choke)| Eagles FC 9| | align=center|1| align=center|3:54|Chișinău, Moldova||-| Win| align=center| 7–0| Alexander Stolyarov| TKO (punches)| Eagles FC 8| | align=center|1| align=center|0:36| Chișinău, Moldova| |-| Win| align=center| 6–0| Ravshankhon Khusanov| TKO (punches)| Eagles FC 7||align=Center|1|align=center|1:37|Chișinău, Moldova| |-| Win| align=center| 5–0| Yuri Gorbenko| Submission (forearm choke)| Eagles FC 6| | align=center| 1| align=center| 3:43| Chișinău, Moldova| |-| Win| align=center| 4–0| Evgeniy Golub| TKO (punches)| Eagles FC 5| | align=center| 1| align=center| 0:48| Chișinău, Moldova| |-| Win| align=center| 3–0| Shota Betlemidze| Submission (rear-naked choke)| ProFC Ukraine: Brave Hearts| | align=center| 1| align=center| 4:56| Nikolaev, Ukraine| |-| Win| align=center| 2–0| Andrey Burdiniuk| Submission (neck crank)| Eagles FC 4| | align=center| 3| align=center| 0:43| Chișinău, Moldova||-| Win| align=center| 1–0| Yuriy Protsenko| Submission (rear-naked choke)| Eagles FC 3| | align=center| 1| align=center| 0:50| Chișinău, Moldova|[42]