NYSAC suspends Yoel Romero for 60 days after leaving cage at UFC 205

The New York State Athletic Commission has punished UFC middleweight Yoel Romero for his post-fight celebration after knocking out Chris Weidman at UFC 205.

The New York State Athletic Commission is handing out suspensions like they’re going out of style.

In a week in which the NYSAC has suspended Kelvin Gastelum for 6 months after failing to even make the UFC 205 weigh-ins, then suspended Thiago Alves for 3 months after he came in well overweight vs. Jim Miller, they’ve now taken aim at middleweight Yoel Romero.

While Romero didn’t miss weight for his 3rd round flying knee TKO win over Chris Weidman, he did climb over the top of the cage and then walk around the perimeter before re-entering the cage for Bruce Buffer to announce the official result. That has resulted in a 60 day ban by the athletic commission, per MMA Fighting.

“Exiting the fighting area before the bout is officially over is prohibited by the New York commission. Romero will be eligible to return to action Jan. 12, 2017.”

Of course, it’s highly unlikely that Romero was going to fight again between now and January 12th, and Romero hinted anyway that he might be fighting current UFC champion Michael Bisping on January 21st, but at least we know that New York’s athletic commission isn’t fooling around when it comes to punishing tomfoolery. Fighters now know that prematurely leaving the cage, an otherwise iconic celebration for BJ Penn after destroying Caol Uno, is a no-no in New York.

The New York State Athletic Commission has punished UFC middleweight Yoel Romero for his post-fight celebration after knocking out Chris Weidman at UFC 205.

The New York State Athletic Commission is handing out suspensions like they’re going out of style.

In a week in which the NYSAC has suspended Kelvin Gastelum for 6 months after failing to even make the UFC 205 weigh-ins, then suspended Thiago Alves for 3 months after he came in well overweight vs. Jim Miller, they’ve now taken aim at middleweight Yoel Romero.

While Romero didn’t miss weight for his 3rd round flying knee TKO win over Chris Weidman, he did climb over the top of the cage and then walk around the perimeter before re-entering the cage for Bruce Buffer to announce the official result. That has resulted in a 60 day ban by the athletic commission, per MMA Fighting.

“Exiting the fighting area before the bout is officially over is prohibited by the New York commission. Romero will be eligible to return to action Jan. 12, 2017.”

Of course, it’s highly unlikely that Romero was going to fight again between now and January 12th, and Romero hinted anyway that he might be fighting current UFC champion Michael Bisping on January 21st, but at least we know that New York’s athletic commission isn’t fooling around when it comes to punishing tomfoolery. Fighters now know that prematurely leaving the cage, an otherwise iconic celebration for BJ Penn after destroying Caol Uno, is a no-no in New York.