No gloves, no mercy: Yoel Romero takes on fellow UFC legend and former champ

TL;DR

Yoel Romero, the 47-year-old former UFC title contender, continues to stay active in combat sports, competing in various promotions since leaving the UFC six years ago. He has participated in MMA, bare-knuckle boxing, and wrestling, with his latest appearance at IBA Bare Knuckle 4 in Russia.

Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Yoel Romero, the former UFC title contender, isn’t slowing down any time soon. The 47-year-old is staying active in combat sports, taking on new challenges across various promotions.

Since leaving the UFC six years ago, Romero has been fighting under a variety of banners. He’s spent time in Bellator and PFL, and more recently appeared for BKFC, Dirty Boxing and Real American Freestyle.

Known as the ‘Soldier of God’, he’s competed in a range of sports including MMA, bare-knuckle boxing and wrestling. Most recently, he took part in IBA Bare Knuckle 4 over in Russia.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA Picks Romero vs. Lombard as Main Event

Romero won’t have to wait long for his next chance to return to the win column.

The announcement came during a Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA event, which also marked Anthony Smith’s successful comeback from retirement.

The organisation confirmed its next main event will take place on May 1, following a card in the Dominican Republic that featured opening-round fights in both the heavyweight and lightweight tournaments.

This time, the action shifts to Miami, where Romero is set to make his debut for Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA against fellow former UFC star Hector Lombard.

Lombard has fought under several banners in recent years, similar to ‘Soldier of God’. The former Bellator middleweight champion’s last bout ended quickly after he was knocked out just 19 seconds into a Dirty Boxing match.

However, before that loss, he had back-to-back wins in bare-knuckle fighting – including one under the Gamebred banner. In November 2023, he forced Chris Sarro to tap out and will be looking for a repeat performance against Romero.

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Q&A

What promotions has Yoel Romero fought for since leaving the UFC?

Since leaving the UFC, Yoel Romero has fought in promotions such as Bellator, PFL, BKFC, Dirty Boxing, and Real American Freestyle.

How old is Yoel Romero and what is his nickname?

Yoel Romero is 47 years old and is known by the nickname 'Soldier of God.'

What was Yoel Romero's most recent fight and where did it take place?

Yoel Romero's most recent fight was at IBA Bare Knuckle 4, which took place in Russia.