Yoel Romero made his Bellator MMA debut against Phil Davis at Bellator 266, losing a split decision in the first round of the Light Heavyweight Grand Prix. That fight was in Sept. 2021 and “Soldier of God” hasn’t been heard from since. According to Bellator President, Scott Coker, Romero will return sometime in 2022, but he wants to wait to see how the 205-pound tournament finale unfolds before he books the hulking Cuban for another fight.
“Let’s also see how this tournament unfolds and unwinds and who is the champ,” Coker said in an interview with MMA Junkie. “Let’s get him some contender fights between. Let’s say as the Light Heavyweight finals are going down toward the path of finishing, let’s get him a couple fights and see if he can get back into contention,” he added, before saying that Romero will likely stay at 205 pounds.
That said, Coker mentioned he would love to see “Soldier of God” face off against 185-pound champion, Gegard Mousasi, at some point at either Middleweight or Light Heavyweight
“We’ve had conversations on both of those topics, [including] him going down to 185. He said he’ll do whatever. Personally, I think he’d like to stay at 205 and fight there. I think him and Gegard should fight at some point, whether it’s at 185 or a ‘super’ fight at 205.”
Romero — loser of four straight — started his MMA career in the Light Heavyweight division before he dropped down to Middleweight following a knockout loss to Rafael Calvacante under the Strikeforce banner. He made his 185-pound debut in his first fight for UFC and went on to compete in the weight class for seven years before moving back up in his debut for Bellator.
Mousasi, meanwhile, has also competed in both divisions, winning the Strikeforce 205-pound title in 2009 by knocking out Renato Sobral in the first round before ultimately losing it to Muhammed Lawal the following year. He is set to defend his Bellator 185-pound title against Austin Vanderford in the main event of Bellator 275 on Feb. 25, 2022, inside the 3Arena Dublin, Ireland.
Are you interested in this potential scrap between two longtime veterans? If so, how you do you see it playing out?
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