Fight Path: Former Canadian paratrooper William Romero waited a year for Bellator slot

William Romero might have taken even longer to start his professional MMA career if several organizations hadn’t teamed for an open Canadian tryout.

That was a couple years ago, when about 300 guys met at an Ontario gym to work out and spar in front of scouts looking for new talent. Romero, though, might have been prepared more than any of them.

The 27-year-old had spent part of his childhood in Ecuador, started tae kwon do training at 9, and followed it up with work in judo before a three-year stint as an infantry soldier and paratrooper in the Canadian Forces. Soon came a pro MMA career and his spot in the upcoming Bellator season-two featherweight tourney.


William Romero might have taken even longer to start his professional MMA career if several organizations hadn’t teamed for an open Canadian tryout.

That was a couple years ago, when about 300 guys met at an Ontario gym to work out and spar in front of scouts looking for new talent. Romero, though, might have been prepared more than any of them.

The 27-year-old had spent part of his childhood in Ecuador, started tae kwon do training at 9, and followed it up with work in judo before a three-year stint as an infantry soldier and paratrooper in the Canadian Forces. Soon came a pro MMA career and his spot in the upcoming Bellator season-two featherweight tourney.