Luke Rockhold has nothing but respect for Yoel Romero.
Yoel Romero is a man of steel.
That’s according to former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, who suffered a devastating knockout loss to ‘Soldier of God’ at UFC 221 in Perth, Australia.
Rockhold, 33, had some success with kicks in the opening two rounds but couldn’t handle Romero’s berserk attack in the third. The Cuban fighter dropped Rockhold with an explosive overhand left hand and and slept him with a follow-up uppercut.
Rockhold, a former multi-promotion champ, paid Romero his respect and congratulated the top-ranked middleweight on Twitter.
Respect to Yoel that man is made of steel.
— Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) February 11, 2018
Romero might be made of ‘steel’, but the 40-year-old knockout artist didn’t walk away from UFC 221 scot-free. Romero limped his way from Australia’s Perth Arena after fearing a broken leg, but MMA Fighting’s Ariel Hewani reports that the American Top Team talent suffered bruising to his right shin.
According to UFC president Dana White, Romero will rematch Robert Whittaker for the official middleweight title despite already losing to ‘The Reaper’ in an interim title bout last year.
Whittaker, 27, is currently injured and Romero is nursing an injured leg, so don’t expect to see the championship rematch take place anytime soon.