Yoel Romero Explained

Yoel Romero
Other Names:Soldier of God
Birth Name:Yoel Romero Palacio
Birth Date:1977 4, mf=yes[1]
Birth Place:Pinar del Río, Cuba
Residence:Miami, Florida, U.S.
Nationality:Cuban
American
Weight:205 lb
Weight Class:Light heavyweight
(2009–2011, 2021–present)
Middleweight
(2013–2020)
Height:5 ft 10 in
Reach In:73
Reach Footnote:[2]
Style:Wrestling
Stance:Right-handed southpaw
Fighting Out Of:Coconut Creek, Florida, U.S.
Team:American Top Team
Wrestling:Olympic Freestyle Wrestling[3]
Years Active:2009–present (MMA)
1997–2005, 2007 (freestyle wrestling)
Mma Kowin:13
Mma Decwin:3
Mma Koloss:1
Mma Decloss:6
Sherdog:60762
Show-Medals:Yes

Yoel Romero Palacio (born April 30, 1977) is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler.[4] He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division for Bellator MMA.[5] Romero formerly competed in the Middleweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and was a challenger for the UFC Middleweight Championship.[6]

As a freestyle wrestler, Romero competed at 85 kilograms, where he was the 1999 World Champion (five-time medalist at the World Championships), the 2000 Olympic Silver medalist, a three-time World Cup winner (six-time medalist), the 2003 Pan American Games Gold medalist (bronze medalist in 1999) and a five-time Pan American Champion.[7] [8]

Wrestling career

Romero started training in wrestling in the 1990s,[9] eventually representing Cuba at senior level in the FILA Wrestling World Championships, which is held in non-Olympic years, from 1997 to 2005. At the 1999 World Wrestling Championships Romero became world champion by defeating the 1996 Olympic gold medalist, Khadzhimurad Magomedov of Russia.[10] He missed out on becoming world champion again in 2002. After landing a three-point throw against Adam Saitiev to take a 3–2 lead, Romero was penalized a point for passivity with 20 seconds remaining. In overtime, after a scramble that saw Romero end on top, it was judged Saitiev had scored in the interim.[11]

Romero competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics, representing his home nation of Cuba. He won the silver medal in the 2000 freestyle competition, losing to Adam Saitiev in the finals.[12] He finished in fourth place in 2004. While competing in freestyle wrestling, Romero has defeated three Olympic gold medal winners, and five different world champions.[13] Among them were Americans Cael Sanderson and Les Gutches, both of whom Romero has multiple victories over.

Romero medaled in five world championships, only missing out with his fifth-place finish in 1997, and a sixth-place finish in 2003, when he was battling injuries. Other notable achievements include a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games, a quadrennial competition held the year before the Olympics, as well as multiple medal-winning finishes at the FILA Wrestling World Cup. Romero competed infrequently after 2005: he was suspended for all of 2006 by the Cuban Wrestling Federation for allegedly throwing his match against Mindorashvili at the 2005 World Championships. After winning the Grand Prix of Germany in the summer of 2007, he did not return to Cuba, choosing instead to remain in Germany.[14]

Romero then joined the Ringer-Bundesliga, a professional wrestling league in Germany, in which teams compete for team titles. Romero competed as a starting member of SV Johannis Nuremberg, as well as helping coach and train the team. Eventually he began to transition into MMA.[14]

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

After defecting to Germany in 2007,[15] Romero made his professional mixed martial arts debut in December 2009. From 2008 to 2011, Romero was trained by Serge Kuftin (combat sambo & MMA coach) and Zike Simic (kickboxing coach), both of whom were from Peter Althof's "Martial Arts Gym Nürnberg". Over the three years, Romero amassed a record of 5–0 in various promotions in Germany and Poland.

Romero won his debut via TKO against Sascha Weinpolter. In his second bout, he scored a 62-second finish via TKO against Ricky Pulu. He then took on Polish standout Michał Fijałka in his third bout.[16] Romero won in the third round via TKO, which was at first ruled a controversial disqualification, due to a knee on the ground thrown by Romero.[17] In 2011, he won his next three fights via TKO in the first round.

Strikeforce

Romero signed with Strikeforce in July 2011 and made his promotional debut against Rafael Cavalcante on September 10, 2011, at Strikeforce 36.[18] He lost the fight via KO in the second round. A neck injury kept him out of action until 2013.[19]

Ultimate Fighting Championship

2013

After Strikeforce was purchased and absorbed by the UFC, Romero made his promotional and middleweight debut against Clifford Starks on April 20, 2013, at UFC on Fox 7.[20] He won the fight via flying knee knockout in the first round. This win earned him Knockout of the Night honors.[21] [22] [23]

Romero was expected to face Derek Brunson on August 31, 2013, at UFC 164.[24] However, Brunson suffered an injury and pulled out of the bout. Promotional newcomer Brian Houston was briefly linked as a replacement, however Houston was not medically cleared to compete at the event and the bout was canceled.[25] In his second UFC bout, Romero faced Ronny Markes on November 6, 2013, at UFC Fight Night 31.[26] He won the fight via knockout in the third round.[27] [28]

2014

For his third fight, Romero was again set to face Derek Brunson on January 15, 2014, at UFC Fight Night 35.[29] After trailing for two rounds, Romero won the fight in the third via TKO due to punches and elbows to Brunson's body. Both fighters earned a $50,000 a Fight of the Night bonus award.[30]

In his fourth fight, Romero faced Brad Tavares at UFC on Fox 11.[31] He won the fight via unanimous decision.

Romero faced Tim Kennedy on September 27, 2014, at UFC 178.[32] He won the fight via TKO in the third round, giving Kennedy his first stoppage loss in thirteen years. This fight generated much controversy: Romero was hurt badly at the end of round 2, and received extra time to recover between rounds. UFC color commentator Joe Rogan mistakenly blamed this on Romero's cornermen for failing to leave the Octagon on time, when the blame was actually on a UFC Cutman who applied too much Vaseline to a cut and referee John McCarthy for allowing Romero to stay sitting while trying to get the cutman to return to the octagon to wipe the excess off.[33] Later it was also noticed that Kennedy was illegally holding Romero's glove while striking him at end of round 2.[34]

The win earned Romero his second Fight of the Night bonus award.[35]

2015

Romero was expected to face Ronaldo Souza on February 28, 2015, at UFC 184.[36] However, Souza pulled out of the fight on January 15, 2015, due to pneumonia.[37] The bout was rescheduled for April 18, 2015, at UFC on Fox 15.[38] However, Romero was forced out of the fight by a ligament and meniscus tear in his knee. He was replaced by Chris Camozzi.[39]

Romero faced former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida on June 27, 2015, at UFC Fight Night 70.[40] This was the first UFC event, headlining Romero in the main event. He knocked out Machida at 1:38 of the third round with a series of elbows from top position.[41] Romero was awarded a "Performance of the Night" bonus.[42]

The bout with Ronaldo Souza was scheduled for a third time, eventually taking place on December 12, 2015, at UFC 194.[43] Romero won the fight via split decision.[44] 2 of 17 media outlets scored the bout in favor of Romero.[45]

2016

Romero faced former middleweight champion Chris Weidman on November 12, 2016, at UFC 205.[46] He won the fight via knockout in the third round and was awarded a Performance of the Night bonus.[47] [48] It was announced that Romero was next-in-line for a title shot, after owning an 8-match winning streak.

2017

With middleweight champion Michael Bisping sidelined due to injury, Romero fought Robert Whittaker on July 8, 2017, at UFC 213 for the interim UFC Middleweight Championship.[49] Romero lost the fight by unanimous decision.[50]

2018

Romero was scheduled to face David Branch on February 24, 2018, at UFC on Fox 28.[51] However, on January 13, 2018, it was reported that Whittaker had pulled out of his bout against Luke Rockhold, which was scheduled to take place at UFC 221, due to an undisclosed injury. It was announced he would be replaced by Romero in what was to be a fight for the interim UFC Middleweight Championship. The winner of this bout would then face Whittaker in a unification bout.[52] At the weigh-ins, Romero came in at 188.3 lbs in his first attempt. He was given another two hours to make 185 lbs but failed to make weight, ending up 2.7 pounds over the middleweight limit of 185 lbs. As a result, Romero would not have been eligible for the interim championship had he won the fight. Romero was fined 30% of his purse, which was awarded to Rockhold. If Rockhold were to win, he would still be awarded the championship. Romero won the fight via KO in the third round. Romero knocked Rockhold down with a heavy overhand followed up with a punch on the ground that rendered Rockhold unconscious.[53]

A rematch with Whittaker took place on June 9, 2018, at UFC 225.[54] At the weight-ins, Romero missed weight, coming in at 186 pounds, 1 pound over the middleweight limit for a title fight. Romero was given additional time to make weight but was pulled by the commission, weighing in at 185.2 lbs, 0.2 pounds over. Romero was fined 20% of his fight purse and the fight proceeded as a non-title catchweight bout.[55] [56] Romero lost the back-and-forth fight by a close split decision. The fight was awarded as Fight of the Night, but due to Romero missing weight, Whittaker received both $50,000 bonuses for a total of $100,000.[57]

2019

Romero was scheduled to face Paulo Costa on November 3, 2018, at UFC 230.[58] However, Romero indicated in mid-August that while he has been cleared to fight, his doctors have recommended that he wait another four to five months (early 2019) to allow facial injuries incurred during his most recent fight to fully heal.[59]

Romero was scheduled to face Ronaldo Souza on April 27, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 150.[60] However, it was reported that Romero pulled out of the bout in early in April 2019 due to illness and was replaced by Jack Hermansson.[61]

Romero faced Paulo Costa on August 17, 2019, at UFC 241.[62] After trailing for the first two rounds, he dominated the third round in one of the greatest 3-round fights in the history of the UFC. As he fell back in the numbers, he lost the fight via unanimous decision.[63] This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award.[64]

2020

Romero next faced Israel Adesanya on March 7, 2020 UFC 248 for the UFC middleweight title.[65] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[66] Many fans and pundits felt disappointed due to the low activity by both fighters, which resulted in a largely uneventful fight in which neither fighter was able to deliver any significant offense.[67]

Romero was scheduled to face Uriah Hall on August 22, 2020, at UFC on ESPN 15.[68] However, Romero pulled out of the fight on August 11 for undisclosed reasons.[69] The bout was subsequently cancelled.[70]

On December 4, Romero announced his departure from the UFC and became a free agent.[71]

Bellator MMA

On December 14, 2020, it was announced that Romero had agreed to a multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA and was expected to compete in its light heavyweight division beginning in 2021.[72]

On February 9, 2021, it was announced that Romero would be participating in the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament. He was scheduled to face Anthony Johnson in the quarterfinal round at Bellator 257 on April 16.[73] On March 26, it was announced that the bout would be moved to Bellator 258 on May 7.[74] On April 29, it was announced that Yoel had failed his medicals due to an eye issue and the bout was pulled from the card, and the Grand Prix Tournament, being replaced by Jose Augusto.[75]

Romero made his Bellator debut on September 18, 2021, at Bellator 266 against Phil Davis.[76] He lost the bout via split decision.[77]

Romero was scheduled to fight Melvin Manhoef on May 6, 2022, at Bellator 280.[78] However, Manhoef withdrew from the bout due to a hand injury while stopping burglars and was replaced by Alex Polizzi.[79] Yoel won the bout via TKO in the final seconds of the third round.[80]

The bout against Melvin Manhoef was rescheduled this time for September 23, 2022, at Bellator 285.[81] Romero won the bout by knockout on the ground via elbows in the third round.[82]

Romero was scheduled to face Vadim Nemkov for the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship on February 4, 2023, at Bellator 290.[83] However, Nemkov was forced to withdraw due to undisclosed reason and the bout was scrapped.[84]

Romero faced Vadim Nemkov for the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship on June 16, 2023, at Bellator 297.[85] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[86]

Romero faced Thiago Santos on February 24, 2024, at PFL vs. Bellator.[87] He won the bout by unanimous decision.[88]

Grappling career

Romero competed against future UFC Heavyweight fighter Chris Barnett in a submission grappling match hosted by Dean Toole Promotions on June 15, 2019. Despite giving up a weight advantage to his opponent, Romero outwrestled Barnett before taking top position and submitting him with a kimura at 3:50 of the match.[89]

Romero will compete against Owen Livesey in an openweight match at Polaris 28 on June 15, 2024.[90]

Training

Romero trains in Coconut Creek, Florida, with the American Top Team, with fellow fighters including Robbie Lawler, Thiago Alves, Thiago Silva and Glover Teixeira.

Fighting style

Romero is left-handed and primarily fights out of the southpaw stance, although he sometimes switches to an orthodox stance during fights. In spite of his amateur wrestling pedigree, Romero rarely uses his wrestling offensively inside the Octagon.[91] [92] Instead, Romero's boxing is typically considered his best skill, with the majority of his victories coming by way of knockout or technical knockout via punches.[93] Many pundits cite Romero's pull-back left-handed counter as his most dangerous strike.[94]

Tainted supplements lawsuit

Romero was informed of a potential doping violation stemming from an out-of-competition test conducted by USADA on January 13, 2016[95] after his bout with Ronaldo Souza on December 12, 2015, at UFC 194, which Romero won via split decision. On February 8, Romero and his manager explained that he had taken a supplement after his fight that turned out to be contaminated. His team and USADA both sent out the supplement for testing and it was confirmed that it contained a banned substance. That substance was not listed on the label, his manager said. They did not want to reveal the name of the supplement or the substance as USADA was investigating the issue.[96] On March 23, it was announced that Romero would appeal his suspension. His team and USADA discussed a deal for a nine-month suspension for the fighter, but Romero preferred to go to arbitration. The typical USADA anti-doping violation suspension is two years.[97] Eventually, on April 4, both parties reached an agreement for a six-month suspension. USADA revealed that Romero had tested positive for ibutamoren, a growth hormone release stimulator. An unopened version of the supplement was independently tested and the banned substance did indeed come up, even though it was not listed on the label. The result of the Souza fight was not overturned, as it was an out-of-competition test that occurred after the fight; Romero passed both his pre-fight and fight night tests for the Souza fight.[98] [99]

Romero pursued legal action against the supplement company, but they never interposed an answer. After being awarded default judgment, Romero was awarded $27 million in damages: $3 million for lost wages, $3 million for reputable harm, and $3 million for emotional damage, all of which were tripled as allowed by the New Jersey “Consumer Fraud Act” when a company is “found out to have committed consumer fraud”.[100] However, in mid-2021 it was reported that New Jersey Superior Court reduced the damage awards for lost wages and emotional stress to total of $12.45 million.[101] The reputational damages will be decided in another trial meeting.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

Mixed martial arts record

|-|Win|align=center|16–7|Thiago Santos|Decision (unanimous)|PFL vs. Bellator||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Riyadh, Saudi Arabia||-|Loss|align=center|15–7|Vadim Nemkov|Decision (unanimous)|Bellator 297||align=center|5|align=center|5:00|Chicago, Illinois, United States||-|Win|align=center| 15–6|Melvin Manhoef|KO (elbows)|Bellator 285||align=center| 3|align=center| 3:34|Dublin, Ireland||-|Win|align=center|14–6|Alex Polizzi|TKO (punches)|Bellator 280||align=center|3|align=center|4:59|Paris, France||- |Loss|align=center|13–6|Phil Davis|Decision (split)|Bellator 266||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|San Jose, California, United States||- |Loss|align=center|13–5|Israel Adesanya|Decision (unanimous)|UFC 248||align=center|5|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Loss|align=center|13–4|Paulo Costa|Decision (unanimous)|UFC 241 ||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Anaheim, California, United States||-|Loss|align=center|13–3|Robert Whittaker|Decision (split)|UFC 225 ||align=center|5|align=center|5:00|Chicago, Illinois, United States||-|Win|align=center|13–2|Luke Rockhold|KO (punches)|UFC 221 ||align=center|3|align=center|1:48|Perth, Australia||-|Loss|align=center|12–2|Robert Whittaker|Decision (unanimous)|UFC 213 ||align=center|5|align=center|5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-|Win|align=center|12–1|Chris Weidman|KO (flying knee)|UFC 205 ||align=center|3|align=center|0:24|New York City, New York, United States||-| Win| align=center| 11–1| Ronaldo Souza| Decision (split)| UFC 194| | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-| Win| align=center| 10–1| Lyoto Machida| KO (elbows)| | | align=center| 3| align=center| 1:38| Hollywood, Florida, United States| |- | Win| align=center| 9–1| Tim Kennedy| TKO (punches)| UFC 178| | align=center| 3| align=center| 0:58| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 8–1| Brad Tavares| Decision (unanimous)| | | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Orlando, Florida, United States||-| Win| align=center| 7–1| Derek Brunson| TKO (punches and elbows)| | | align=center| 3| align=center| 3:23| Duluth, Georgia, United States| |-|Win|align=center|6–1|Ronny Markes|KO (punches)|||align=center|3|align=center|1:39|Fort Campbell, Kentucky, United States||-|Win|align=center|5–1|Clifford Starks|KO (flying knee and punches)|||align=center|1|align=center|1:32|San Jose, California, United States||-|Loss|align=center|4–1|Rafael Cavalcante|KO (punches)|||align=center|2|align=center|4:51|Cincinnati, Ohio, United States||-|Win|align=center|4–0|Laszlo Eck|KO (punch)|Fight of the Night 2011||align=center|1|align=center|0:33|Greding, Germany||-|Win|align=center|3–0|Ņikita Petrovs|TKO (retirement)|SFC 3: MMA Fight Night||align=center|1|align=center|2:58|Giessen, Germany||-|Win|align=center|2–0|Michał Fijałka|TKO (retirement)|IFF: The Eternal Struggle||align=center|3|align=center|4:05|Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland||-|Win|align=center|1–0|Sascha Weinpolter|TKO (punches)|Fight of the Night 2009||align=center|1|align=center|0:48|Nuremberg, Germany||-|}[106]

Pay-per-view bouts

!No.!Event!Fight!Date!Venue!City!PPV buys
1.UFC 213Romero vs. WhittakerJuly 8, 2017T-Mobile ArenaParadise, Nevada, United States150,000[107]
2.UFC 221Romero vs. RockholdFebruary 11, 2018Perth ArenaPerth, Australia130,000[108]
3.UFC 225Whittaker vs. Romero 2June 9, 2018United CenterChicago, Illinois, United States250,000[109]
4.UFC 248Adesanya vs. RomeroMarch 7, 2020T-Mobile ArenaParadise, Nevada, United StatesNot Disclosed[110]

Freestyle record

World Championships & Olympic Games Matches
Res.RecordOpponentScoreDateEventLocation
style=background:white colspan=7
Loss33–11 Revaz Mindorashvili0–1, 1–1, 0–5September 26 - October 2, 20052005 World Wrestling Championships Budapest, Hungary
Win33–10 Taras Danko3–1, 1–0
Win32–10 Soslan Gattsiev1–0, 2–0
Win31–10 Radosław Horbik1–0, 2–0
Win30–10 Abraham Vasallo4–0, 3–0
style=background:white colspan=7
Loss29–10 Sazhid Sazhidov3–5August 27–28, 20042004 Summer Olympics Athens, Greece
Loss29–9 Cael Sanderson2–3
Win29–8 Lazaros Loizidis3–1
Win28–8 Davyd Bichinashvili3–0
Win27–8 Jeffrey CobbTech. Fall
style=background:white colspan=7
Loss26–8 Sazhid Sazhidov0–3September 12–14, 20032003 World Wrestling Championships New York, New York
Loss26–7 Mogamed Ibragimov0–3
Win26–6 Thomas Bucheli9–0
Win25–6 Marcin Jurecki6–5
style=background:white colspan=7
Loss24–6 Adam Saitiev3–4September 5–6, 20022002 World Wrestling Championships Tehran, Iran
Win24–5 Majid Khodaei3–0
Win23–5 Revaz Mindorashvili3–2
Win22–5 Katsutoshi SenbaFall
Win21–5 Gabor Kapuvari4–0
style=background:white colspan=7
Win20–5 Beibulat Musaev3–0November 23–25, 20012001 World Wrestling Championships Sofia, Bulgaria
Loss19–5 Khadzhimurad Magomedov1–3
Win19–4 Andre Backhaus5–0
Win18–4 Marcin Jurecki4–1
Win17–4 Mahmed Aghaev5–0
style=background:white colspan=7
Loss16–4 Adam SaitievFallSeptember 29 - October 1, 20002000 Summer Olympics Sydney, Australia
Win16–3 Amir Reza Khadem3–0
Win15–3 Justin Abdou8–0
Win14–3 Igors Samušonoks3–0
Win13–3 Magomed Kurugliyev4–0
style=background:white colspan=7
Win12–3 Khadzhimurad Magomedov4–2October 8–10, 19991999 World Wrestling Championships Ankara, Turkey
Win11–3 Ali Oezen3–2
Win10–3 Magomed Kurugliyev3–0
Win9–3 Vitali Gizoev7–0
Win8–3 Andre Backhaus8–4
Win7–3 Abbas Majidi4–0
style=background:white colspan=7
Win6–3 Khadzhimurad Magomedov3–2September 9–11, 19981998 World Wrestling Championships Tehran, Iran
Win5–3 Michal Stanislawski5–1
Loss4–3 Alireza Heidari1–2
Win4–2 Gabor Kapuvari5–0
Win3–2 Plamen Paskalev5–0
style=background:white colspan=7
Loss2–2 Soslan Fraev1–3August 29–31, 19971997 World Wrestling Championships Krasnojarsk, Russia
Loss2–1 Eldar Assanov1–3
Win2–0 Igors Samušonoks3–1
Win1–0 Gari Modosyan4–0

Submission grappling record

-- width:100%; -->
1 Matches, 1 Wins, 0 Losses, 0 Draws
ResultRec.OpponentMethodtext-centerEventDateDivisionLocation
Win 1-0Submission (Kimura) Dean Toole Promotions June 15, 2019 Openweight Pensacola, Florida[111]

Personal life

Romero describes himself as a Christian and "a man of God" whose hero is Jesus Christ.[112] His younger brother, Yoan Pablo Hernández, was the IBF Cruiserweight Champion in professional boxing.[113]

Romero and his wife have one daughter, he also has two daughters and a son in Cuba.[114]

In a controversial post-fight interview after his victory over Lyoto Machida at UFC Fight Night 70, it was assumed by many that Romero was expressing disagreement with the Obergefell v. Hodges supreme court ruling. However, during the post fight press conference and subsequent interviews the following day, Romero denied referring to gay marriage and apologized for his comments while maintaining that they were misunderstood. Many thought Romero said "No for gay Jesus" while he actually said "No forget Jesus" as he is not fluent in English.[115]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ESPN Profile: Yoel Romero.
  2. Web site: Stats UFC . 2024-01-21 . ufcstats.com.
  3. Web site: Yoel Romero - Official UFC Fighter Profile. UFC.com. July 9, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170712142636/http://www.ufc.com/fighter/Yoel-Romero. July 12, 2017.
  4. Web site: Yoel Romero ("Soldier of God") MMA Fighter Page. 2021-10-04. Tapology. en.
  5. Web site: 2021-08-13. Sources: Healthy Romero to make Bellator debut. 2021-10-04. ESPN. en.
  6. Web site: Taylor. Tom. Yoel Romero Opens Up on Leaving UFC and New Lease on Life in Bellator. 2021-10-04. Bleacher Report. en.
  7. Web site: Gallo. Ed. 2019-08-16. Wrestling for MMA: Yoel Romero. 2020-12-21. Bloody Elbow. en.
  8. Web site: Yoel ROMERO. 2021-10-04. Olympics.com.
  9. Web site: Yoel Romero: A Timeline of the UFC's Greatest Athlete to Never Win Gold. McCarter. Nathan. Bleacher Report. en. 2019-11-12.
  10. Web site: 1999-11-28. Neal wins gold medal; McIlravy wins silver medal; Gutches wins bronze medal at World Freestyle Wrestling Championships in Ankara, Turkey, Oct. 10; The United States places second behind Russia in team standings. 2021-10-04. https://web.archive.org/web/19991128070755/http://www.themat.com/international/99/101099.asp. 1999-11-28.
  11. Web site: RESULTS OF THE JUNIOR GR-FS ASIAN WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS . 2021-10-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20021005141309if_/http://www.iranwrestling.org/History&Results/senior/1381/fs84.htm . 5 October 2002 . dead.
  12. Yoel Romero . 2016-11-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200418024244/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/yoel-romero-1.html . 2020-04-18.
  13. News: UFC Fight Night 35 Factgrinder: The Wrestling Career of Yoel Romero. bloodyelbow.com. January 15, 2014.
  14. Web site: Singh . Abhilasha . The Scariest Fighter Alive: Magnificent Journey of Yoel Romero to UFC . essentiallysports.com . 21 July 2022 . 1 May 2022.
  15. Web site: Die Wochen der Wahrheit – Doppelkampftag steht an. www.ringen.de. de. November 18, 2013. November 23, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151123191611/http://www.ringen.de/index.php/component/content/article?id=1247:die-wochen-der-wahrheit-doppe.... dead.
  16. Web site: Yoel Romero Palacio vs. Michał Fijałka. groundandpound.de. October 5, 2010. October 5, 2010. September 26, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100926173132/http://www.groundandpound.de/mma/de/news/yoel-romero-palacio-vs-michal-fijalka/. dead. (in German)
  17. Web site: IFF "Michał Fijałka vs Yoel Romero" – przeżyjmy to jeszcze raz . mmanews.pl . 21 July 2022.
  18. Web site: Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante vs. Yoel Romero slotted for September 10 Strikeforce event. mmajunkie.com. 2011-07-21. 2011-07-21. 2011-07-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20110724070904/http://mmajunkie.com/news/24500/rafael-feijao-cavalcante-vs-yoel-romero-slotted-for-sept-10-strikeforce-event.mma. dead.
  19. Web site: Burke . Tim . Rafael 'Feijao' Cavalcante Broke His Arm in Strikeforce Win Over Yoel Romero . bloodyelbow.com . 21 July 2022 . 12 September 2011.
  20. Web site: Yoel Romero vs Clifford Starks set for UFC on FOX 7. bloodyelbow.com. January 23, 2013.
  21. Web site: UFC on FOX 7 bonuses: Brown, Mein, Romero, Thomson earn $50,000. MMAjunkie.com . 2013-04-20 . 2013-04-20.
  22. Web site: YOEL ROMERO VS CLIFFORD STARKS. MMA Junkie.
  23. Web site: Starks VS Romero. ESPN.
  24. Web site: UFC 164 Gains Derek Brunson vs. Yoel Romero. mmaweekly.com . 2013-06-17. 2013-06-17.
  25. Web site: UFC 164 loses Yoel Romero vs. Brian Houston, card finalized with 12 bouts. mmajunkie.com. 2013-08-14. 2013-08-14.
  26. Web site: UFC Fight for the Troops card adds Yoel Romero vs. Ronny Markes . mmatorch.com. Penick, Jamie . 2013-08-23. 2013-08-23.
  27. Web site: UFC Fight Night 35: What We Learned from Derek Brunson vs. Yoel Romero. Bleacher Report.
  28. Web site: Romero VS Brunson. UFC.
  29. Web site: UFC Fight Night 35 adds Yoel Romero vs. Derek Brunson. mmajunkie.com. 2013-11-26. 2013-11-26.
  30. Web site: "UFC Fight Night 35 Bonuses: Rockhold, Miller, Romero, Brunson Earn $50K Awards", by Mike Whitman, Sherdog.com. Sherdog.
  31. Web site:
    1. UFCFightNight in Orlando bout update! @bambamhealy vs @GamebredFighter and @BradTavares vs @YoelRomeroMMA. Tix on sale next Friday.
    . UFC News. 2014-02-04. 2014-02-04.
  32. Web site: Tim Kennedy vs. Yoel Romero slated for UFC 178 in Las Vegas. bloodyelbow.com. Simon, Zane. 2014-07-08. 2014-07-08. 2018-01-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20180125134735/https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2014/7/8/5881165/ufc-178-books-tim-kennedy-vs-yoel-romero-las-vegas-jones-vs-gustafsson-mma-news. dead.
  33. Web site: Cruz . Guilherme . Coach: Yoel Romero wasn't out between rounds at UFC 178, believes top 5 opponent should be next . mmafighting.netblogpro.com . 21 July 2022 . 30 September 2014.
  34. News: Romero: Kennedy cheated before 'Stoolgate' mess. 4 April 2017. SB Nation (MMAfighting.com). 20 December 2014.
  35. News: UFC 178 bonuses: McGregor, Cruz, Romero, Kennedy earn $50,000. mmajunkie.com. Erickson, Matt . 2014-09-28. 2014-09-28.
  36. Web site: UFC 184: Jacare Souza vs. Yoel Romero added to Staples Center card. dailynews.com. 2014-11-13. 2014-11-13. Martin, Brian .
  37. Web site: Souza-Romero scratched from UFC 184. UFC.com. Gerbasi, Thomas . 2015-01-15.
  38. News: Yoel Romero vs. 'Jacare' Souza re-booked for UFC on FOX 15 co-main event. MMAjunkie.com. Erickson, Matt . February 11, 2015.
  39. News: Yoel Romero injured, out of UFC on FOX 15 bout opposite Jacare Souza. MMAfighting.com. Thomas, Luke . April 10, 2015.
  40. Web site: Lyoto Machida vs. Yoel Romero set as new main event for TUF Brazil: 4 Finale in Miami. mmafighting.com. Cruz, Guilherme . 2015-05-15. 2015-05-15.
  41. News: UFC Fight Night Results: 'Machida vs. Romero' Play-by-Play & Updates. 28 June 2015. Sherdog.com. 27 June 2015.
  42. News: UFC Fight Night 70 bonuses: Yoel Romero's elbows bring him $50,000. 28 June 2015. MMAJunkie.com. 27 June 2015.
  43. Web site: 'Jacare' Souza vs. Yoel Romero rebooked for UFC 194 in Las Vegas. sherdog.com. 2015-08-17. 2015-08-17.
  44. Web site: UFC 194 results: Yoel Romero decisions Ronaldo Souza in back-and-forth battle. mmajunkie.com . Brookhouse, Bren . 2015-12-12. 2015-12-12.
  45. News: Yoel Romero def. Ronaldo Souza. MMA Decisions. 2015-12-13.
  46. Web site: Ex-champ Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero slated for UFC 205 in New York City. MMAJunkie.com . Morgan, John . Stupp, Dann . 2016-09-15. 2016-09-15.
  47. Web site: UFC 205 results: Yoel Romero unleashes vicious knee on Chris Weidman for bloody TKO. Ben Fowlkes. 2016-11-12. mmajunkie.com. 2016-11-12.
  48. Web site: UFC 205 post-fight bonuses: Conor McGregor leads the pack. Dave. Doyle. 2016-11-13. MMAFighting.com. 2016-11-13.
  49. Web site: Yoel Romero vs. Robert Whittaker interim middleweight title fight set for UFC 213. foxsports.com. Damon Martin. 2017-05-23. 2017-05-23.
  50. Web site: NZ-born Robert Whittaker makes UFC history by beating Cuban Yoel Romero. Stuff. 9 July 2017. 2017-07-09.
  51. News: Yoel Romero vs. David Branch on tap for UFC on FOX 28. Bloody Elbow. 2017-12-30.
  52. News: UFC bombshell: Whittaker out of Rockhold defence. 2018-01-13. PerthNow. 2018-01-13. en-GB.
  53. News: Yoel Romero misses weight, cannot win interim title at UFC 221 (updated). MMA Fighting. 2018-02-10.
  54. Web site: UFC targets Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero title rematch in June. espn.com. Brett okamoto. 2018-03-09. 2018-03-09.
  55. Web site: Whittaker robbed of UFC title defence as Romero fails to make weight. Warren. Adrian. 2018-06-08. The Sydney Morning Herald. en. 2018-06-09.
  56. News: Champ Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero agree to non-title bout at UFC 225. 2018-06-08. MMAjunkie. 2018-06-09. en-US.
  57. News: UFC 225 bonuses: Robert Whittaker, Yoel Romero win Fight of the Night again. Lee. Alexander K.. 2018-06-10. mmafighting.com. en. 2018-06-10.
  58. News: Paulo Costa vs. Yoel Romero set for UFC 230 at Madison Square Garden. newsday.com. Mark La Monica. 2018-07-24. 2018-07-24.
  59. News: Yoel Romero: Doctor says I need 4-5 months to heal before next fight. espn.com. Ariel Helwani. 2018-08-20. 2018-08-21.
  60. Web site: Romero-Souza II to headline UFC Fight Night. 2019-03-08. ESPN.com. en. 2019-03-08.
  61. Web site: Yoel Romero felled by pneumonia, fight with Jacare canceled. Stefan Van Erp. 4 April 2019. mmadna.com. 2019-04-04.
  62. Web site: Yoel Romero vs Paulo Costa rebooked for UFC 241 in Anaheim. mmmania.com. Jesse Holland. 2019-05-07. 2019-05-08.
  63. Web site: UFC 241 Results: Yoel Romero and Paulo Costa Slug It Out in Barn-Burner. Anderson. Jay. 2019-08-17. Cageside Press. en-US. 2019-08-18.
  64. News: Haynes . Stephie . UFC 241 post-fight bonuses: Romero-Costa war nabs FOTN honors . Bloody Elbow . 2019-08-18 . 2019-08-18 . 2023-02-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230212174023/https://www.bloodyelbow.com/2019/8/18/20810394/ufc-241-post-fight-bonuses-yoel-romero-paulo-costa-war-nabs-fotn-honors . dead .
  65. Web site: Israel Adesanya defends middleweight title against Yoel Romero at UFC 248. 2020-01-17. MMA Junkie. en. 2020-01-17.
  66. Web site: UFC 248 results: Israel Adesanya keeps title in bizarre win over Yoel Romero. 2020-03-08. MMA Junkie. en. 2020-03-08.
  67. Web site: UFC 248: Dana White calls out 'terrible' fighter for unimpressive main event. 2020-03-08. ftw.com. Henry McKenna. en. 2020-08-04.
  68. Web site: DNA. MMA. 2020-08-05. Yoel Romero vs. Uriah Hall toegevoegd aan UFC evenement op 22 augustus. 2020-08-06. MMA DNA. en-US.
  69. Web site: Yoel Romero will not be fighting Uriah Hall on August 22nd2. mmadna.nl. Staff. 2020-08-11. 2020-08-11 . nl.
  70. Web site: 2020-08-13. No replacement Romero, Waterson vs. Hill canceled and OSP's new opponent on August 22. 2020-08-14. mmadna.com. Redatie . nl.
  71. Web site: Yoel Romero no longer under contract with UFC. Bloody Elbow. Tim Burke. 2020-12-04. 2020-12-04.
  72. Web site: Sources: Yoel Romero agrees to multifight deal with Bellator. ESPN. Ariel Helwani. December 14, 2020. December 14, 2020.
  73. Web site: Bellator announces 8-man light heavyweight grand prix featuring 'Rumble' vs. Romero. Simon Somano. MMA Junkie. February 9, 2021. February 9, 2021.
  74. Web site: Lee . Alexander K. . Anthony Johnson vs. Yoel Romero moved to Bellator 258 amid light heavyweight grand prix schedule shift . MMA Fighting . 26 March 2021 . en . 26 March 2021.
  75. Web site: Yoel Romero out of Bellator Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix after failing pre-fight medical screening. 2021-04-30. CBSSports.com. en.
  76. Web site: Helwani. Ariel. Yoel Romero's Bellator debut is set (again). 2021-08-13. arielhelwani.substack.com. 13 August 2021.
  77. Web site: Law. Eddie. 2021-09-19. Bellator 266 Results: Phil Davis Dominates Yoel Romero Earns Split Decision. 2021-09-19. Cageside Press. en-US.
  78. Web site: Lee. Alexander K.. 2022-02-10. Yoel Romero vs. Melvin Manhoef announced for Bellator Paris co-main event. 2022-02-10. MMA Fighting. en.
  79. Web site: 2022-04-30 . Yoel Romero meets Alex Polizzi at Bellator 280 following Melvin Manhoef withdrawal . 2022-04-30 . MMA Junkie . en-US.
  80. Web site: Anderson . Jay . 2022-05-06 . Bellator 280: Last Second TKO of Alex Polizzi Secures Yoel Romero's First Bellator Win . 2022-05-06 . Cageside Press . en-US.
  81. Web site: 2022-02-10 . Bellator Dublin Manhoef vs. Romero opnieuw ingepland, ditmaal op 23 september . 2022-05-06 . Eurosport . nl.
  82. Web site: Bellator 285 results: Yoel Romero smashes Melvin Manhoef in knockout win, calls for title shot. mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Danny Segura. 2022-09-23. 2022-09-23.
  83. Web site: Lee . Alexander K. . 2022-11-18 . Yoel Romero to fight Vadim Nemkov vs. Corey Anderson 2 winner at Bellator 290 . 2022-11-21 . MMA Fighting . en.
  84. Web site: Middleweight Johnny Eblen to defend title at Bellator 290. ESPN.com. Brett Okamoto. 2022-12-27. 2022-12-27.
  85. Web site: Martin . Damon . 2023-03-27 . Vadim Nemkov vs. Yoel Romero, Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Pitbull headlines Bellator 297 . 2023-03-27 . MMA Fighting . en.
  86. Web site: 2023-06-17 . Bellator 297 results: Vadim Nemkov dominates inactive Yoel Romero to defend title . 2023-06-18 . MMA Junkie . en-US.
  87. Web site: Latest PFL vs. Bellator ‘Seize the Throne’ fight card, rumors for Saudi Arabia event . mmamania.com . en-US.
  88. Web site: Dewar . Val . 2024-02-24 . PFL vs Bellator: Yoel Romero Scrapes Past Thiago Santos in Slow-Paced Bout . 2024-02-25 . Cageside Press . en-US.
  89. https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/bouts/437669-dean-toole-promotions-chris-beast-boy-barnett-vs-yoel-soldier-of-god-romero
  90. Web site: Blackett . Todd . Yoel Romero Set To Face Owen Livesey At Polaris 28 . Jitsmagazine . 10 May 2024.
  91. Web site: Why doesn't Yoel Romero use his wrestling?. Reddit. 29 September 2019.
  92. Web site: Why Yoel Romero doesn't use his wrestling.
  93. Web site: He still has significant striking power.. ESPN. 6 February 2018.
  94. Web site: Yoel Romero Scores Victory over Luke Rockhold Via TKO at UFC 221. Bleacher Report.
  95. Web site: UFC statement on Yoel Romero. 2016-01-13. ufc.com. 2016-01-13.
  96. Web site: Manager: Contaminated supplement led to Yoel Romero's failed drug test. Raimondi, Marc. 2016-02-08. mmafighting.com. 2016-02-09.
  97. Web site: Yoel Romero to appeal USADA suspension for anti-doping policy violation. Raimondi, Marc. 2016-03-23. mmafighting.com. 2016-03-23.
  98. Web site: Yoel Romero gets six-month suspension from USADA for failing drug test due to contaminated supplement. Raimondi, Marc. 2016-04-04. mmafighting.com. 2016-04-04.
  99. Web site: Manager: Contaminated supplement led to Yoel Romero's failed drug test. Raimondi, Marc. 2016-02-08. MMAFighting.com. 2016-07-10.
  100. Web site: UFC's Yoel Romero wins tainted supplement lawsuit, awarded $27 million in damages . 2019-05-05.
  101. Web site: Yoel Romero sees $27 million award reduced in tainted supplement lawsuit update. June 24, 2021. mmafighting.com. Alexander K. Lee.
  102. Web site: THE TEN BEST FIGHTS OF 2018. January 5, 2019. Thomas Gerbasi. Ultimate Fighting Championship.
  103. Web site: UFC Middleweight - Stats. UFC.com. April 8, 2023. 2023-04-08.
  104. Web site: MMA DNA UFC Awards 2018 : De Uitslagen!!!. DNA. MMA. 18 January 2019. en-US. 2019-01-28.
  105. Web site: MMA Junkie's 'Fight of the Month' for August: Middleweights meet expectations. September 2, 2019. mmajunkie.com.
  106. Web site: Yoel. Sherdog.com. Sherdog. 2019-08-18.
  107. Web site: UFC 213: Romero vs. Whittaker MMA Event . 2022-09-09 . Tapology . en.
  108. Web site: UFC 221: Romero vs. Rockhold MMA Event . 2022-09-09 . Tapology . en.
  109. Web site: UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 MMA Event . 2022-09-09 . Tapology . en.
  110. Web site: UFC 248: Adesanya vs. Romero MMA Event . Tapology . en.
  111. Web site: Ryan Harkness. Romero subs, Pettis and Masvidal draw in charity grappling fights. mmamania.com. June 16, 2019.
  112. See, e.g., Yoel Romero Interview, fightgeeks.com (2014-04-22); UFC Fight Night 35's Yoel Romero: By the Grace of God, Themmacorner.com (2014-01-06); New UFC Fighter a Knockout, FitnessRX for Men (2013-11-05). All sources accessed 2016-11-12.
  113. http://themmacorner.com/2013/11/01/ufc-fight-nights-yoel-romero-ready-to-take-the-next-step-in-middleweight-division/ UFC's Yoel Romero: Ready For Next Step at Middleweight
  114. Web site: Yoel Romero Fighting for Family, Not Worried About Opponent. espn.com. 6 July 2017.
  115. Web site: Yoel Romero apologizes but denies making anti-gay remark after KO win. ESPN. Okamoto, Brett . 2015-06-28. 2015-06-28.