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Yoel Romero Reveals When He’ll Rematch Robert Whittaker

Yoel Romero is quite possibly the most immovable force in the UFC middleweight division. The Cuban wrestling powerhouse proved why he’s the only real contender for current champion Robert Whittaker’s belt by knocking out Luke Rockhold in the main event of February 10’s UFC 222 from Perth, Australia. The finish was so dominant (and strange) […]

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Yoel Romero is quite possibly the most immovable force in the UFC middleweight division.

The Cuban wrestling powerhouse proved why he’s the only real contender for current champion Robert Whittaker’s belt by knocking out Luke Rockhold in the main event of February 10’s UFC 222 from Perth, Australia.

The finish was so dominant (and strange) that UFC president Dana White confirmed ‘The Soldier of God’ would rematch Whittaker, whom he lost a close decision to at UFC 213 last July, shortly after he shut Rockhold’s lights out and kissed him on the lips while he was dazed.

The closely-matched bout remains without a date as Whittaker recovers from the staph infection that forced him out of the original UFC 222 main event, but during a recent appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show (via MMA Fighting), he appeared to announce he would be rematching Whittaker on June 9, the date of UFC 225 from Chicago, Ill.:

“Let’s just wait until June 9th,” Romero said when questioned how a rematch with “The Reaper” would play out.

The nightmare-inducing knockout artist was up on the cards in the opening rounds of his first match-up with Whittaker, yet appeared to gas in the championship frames and give the New Zealand-born slugger an opening to steal the fight.

After the loss, Romero thought he didn’t quite take it seriously enough.

He knows what he did wrong, and detailed how he went to JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque to train with suspended former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones in an effort to more efficiently use his explosive energy:

“After the [Whittaker] fight, my manager said that when he saw me I had a big smile on my face. I was very happy. I didn’t take that loss as serious as I should have. [I was happy because] I learned. And now you see what happened with Luke Rockhold. I learned about timing.

“Listen, people talk about my ‘gas’ but it wasn’t easy to fight Luke Rockhold. I went to Albuquerque with Jon Jones and I learned something. They controlled my attacks, so I learned when to attack. If you go, go, go, you will get tired. So I had to learn to pace myself. I don’t have a problem with five rounds now.”

Despite a few solid fights being announced for UFC 225, there has been no main event officially unveiled.

Is it the perfect place for “The Soldier of God” to get his next shot at the returning ‘Reaper?’

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Luke Rockhold Blasts Australian Commission For Letting Romero Kiss Him

He may have been brutally knocked out by Yoel Romero in his last fight at February’s UFC 222, but former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold isn’t taking the loss quietly. Rockhold has been in the news for a litany of topics lately, ranging from his nearly-confirmed move up to light heavyweight, the subsequent beef with Alexander […]

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He may have been brutally knocked out by Yoel Romero in his last fight at February’s UFC 222, but former middleweight champion Luke Rockhold isn’t taking the loss quietly.

Rockhold has been in the news for a litany of topics lately, ranging from his nearly-confirmed move up to light heavyweight, the subsequent beef with Alexander Gustafsson that resulted, a potential trilogy fight with rival Michael Bisping, and even his signing on as a Ralph Lauren model.

However, Rockhold hasn’t completely forgotten about his loss to Romero, after which ‘The Soldier of God’ somehow stormed into his face and kissed him, telling him he ‘loves him’ while Rockhold didn’t exactly know where he was after being knocked out. During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, Rockhold called out the Western Australia Combat Sports Commission (WACSC) for allowing such a scene to happen during such a big fight:

“For him to come across the cage like that, it’s just ridiculous for them to let him do that,” Rockhold said. “Not a big fan of how he carries himself. He’s a bit fake. I’m not really saying how I feel. I am who I am. Like it or hate it.”

Rockhold gave Romero his due after the fight, but he also said his draining cuts down to middleweight were coming to an end because they sapped him of much of his strength in Australia, something he noticed in the Cuban behemoth’s own strength:

“Yoel felt strong. He felt big. I didn’t feel my best. … The weight cuts are getting to me these days. The man felt like cement,” Rockhold said. “I thought i could really take his movement and force him to wrestle more, but that really wasn’t the case.… I had to work around my kicks. I just didn’t put it together like I should have.”

So even though he didn’t appear to hold any lasting grudge with Romero right after the fight, it’s become clear that isn’t the case after he’s had some time to let all the ramifications sink in. With Romero winning all but one of his UFC bouts while some kind of controversy follows him almost constantly, the former Strikeforce champ wondered why Romero had gotten through a USADA loophole to supposedly skirt responsibility:

“Guess what? He’s the man who opened his mouth and talked shit while I had the title and he went and popped for steroids,” Rockhold said. “So, yeah he got by on that somehow, but f*ck off. You know what you’re putting in your body. I’m tired of people like this just trying to find loopholes and ways around these things. I don’t know why you get a pass in this sport, but a lot of guys get passes,” Rockhold said. “Not a fan of it. I’ve always fought clean, I’ve never cheated my way through this sport, I’ve always done everything the right way. Unfortunately, not everybody follows that path.”

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Alexander Gustafsson Reacts To Luke Rockhold’s Recent Threat

Earlier this week, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold opened up about his reasons for moving up to light heavyweight for his next bout, describing the weight cut to 185 pounds as simply too draining for him as he aged. Rockhold said the cut played a part in him not performing his best during his […]

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Earlier this week, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold opened up about his reasons for moving up to light heavyweight for his next bout, describing the weight cut to 185 pounds as simply too draining for him as he aged.

Rockhold said the cut played a part in him not performing his best during his recent knockout loss to Yoel Romero at February’s UFC 221, a fight before which he said he spent several hours in a depleted state.

With weight cutting and its effects a hot topic in MMA, Rockhold made the call that many top fighters have recently and will move to a division much more suited to his natural weight. And when he does, he already has a high-profile dance partner waiting for him.

After his loss to Romero, he was surprisingly called out by former two-time light heavyweight title contender Alexander Gustafsson, who lost to Rockhold’s longtime training partner Daniel Cormier at 2015’s UFC 192. The former Strikeforce and UFC 185-pound champ understandably didn’t take too kindly to ‘The Mauler’s’ impromptu callout, saying he was ‘coming for that ass’ earlier this week.

Gustafsson apparently got word of it as well, and he issued a response on Twitter calling Rockhold ‘chinny’ earlier today:

@LukeRockhold . Heard u coming for me.. Can’t ask for more .chinny as middle weight. KO’d as a LHW. Fool yourself to believe its the weight cut.

I’ll wait for u!!

— Alexander Gustafsson (@AlexTheMauler) March 9, 2018

“The Mauler” had previously hinted he may move up weight classes himself to avoid fighting friends and teammates Jimi Manuwa and Ilir Latifi, yet it seems like he’s willing to wait at 205 for Rockhold to make his debut.

There’s little doubt Rockhold would have a significant test on his hands in the top-ranked Gustafsson, who knocked out Glover Teixeira in a scintillating “Fight of the Night”-winning affair last May before undergoing shoulder surgery.

Rockhold has also been linked to a trilogy bout with rival Michael Bisping, who is rumored to be retiring and infamously ripped the title from Rockhold’s hands at UFC 199. But if he’s serious about a move up to light heavyweight, the ‘Mauler’ fight would be an immediate proving ground to find out if it was the weight cut affecting his recent effort.

Is this the best fight to make for Rockhold’s light heavyweight debut?

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Michael Bisping Denies UFC Is Targeting Luke Rockhold Trilogy Match

Following a third-round knockout loss to Yoel Romero at February’s UFC 221, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold revealed the UFC was targeting a trilogy match-up with Michael Bisping for his next fight on The MMA Hour yesterday. The booking makes a ton of sense considering the two have fought twice before with each man picking […]

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Following a third-round knockout loss to Yoel Romero at February’s UFC 221, former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold revealed the UFC was targeting a trilogy match-up with Michael Bisping for his next fight on The MMA Hour yesterday.

The booking makes a ton of sense considering the two have fought twice before with each man picking up a victory, but according to “The Count,” who miraculously won the title by knocking Rockhold out cold at 2016’s UFC 199, told MMA Fighting that he hasn’t been offered any such bout.

According to him, Rockhold, who recently signed on as the face of Ralph Lauren’s new cologne, should stick to modeling after two knockout losses in his last three fights:

“I can categorically on the record state that I have not been offered a fight with (Rockhold) on July 7,” Bisping said. “He shouldn’t be so keen to get knocked out again anyway. Stick to modeling. Judging by his last three fights, MMA certainly doesn’t appear his thing anymore.”

Piercing words from Bisping, who has lost his last two fights by stoppage himself after Georges St-Pierre submitted him in November before Kelvin Gastelum brutally knocked him out only three weeks later when he filled in for Anderson Silva at UFC Shanghai.

It’s largely accepted that Bisping has one fight left in his decorated career, and a trilogy match-up with Rockhold would be quite the send-off for the British MMA great.

He’s been linked to retirement fights with Lyoto Machida, Rashad Evans, and Vitor Belfort, but none of them have come to fruition thus far.

Rockhold insists the UFC is pursuing the fight, but Bisping insists he’s heard nothing of it. Who do you believe?

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Joe Rogan Reacts To Yoel Romero’s Brutal Knockout At UFC 221

Although he was unable to win the interim UFC middleweight title after missing weight, Yoel Romero put one of the most brutal knockouts of the young year on Luke Rockhold in the main event of last Saturday’s UFC 221 from Perth, Australia. The win put ‘The Soldier of God’ in line for the next title […]

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The win put ‘The Soldier of God’ in line for the next title shot at middleweight champ Robert Whittaker, who’s currently on the sidelines recovering from staph and chickenpox. But on an even bigger level, the KO showed just how scary and explosive Romero is, perhaps to the point of him being the most athletically talented fighter to ever step into the Octagon.

One man believes that could be the case, and that’s longtime Octagon commentator Joe Rogan. Rogan recently opened up on Romero’s dominant stoppage on a recent edition of The JRE MMA Show, noting to Brendan Schaub that Rockhold’s recent camp change may have been a great idea, but he simply ran into a buzzsaw in Romero:

“Look, it might have been a good move for him but he fought Yoel Romero. I mean the reality is, Yoel Romero is f****** horrifying.”

UFC veteran Schaub then said Rockhold could beat Romero on any given day as well, something that Rogan wasn’t as quick to agree with:

“He might be able to, but he also might be able to get hit exactly like he got hit in that fight every time they fight. Dude, you don’t know, man.”

As for Rockhold’s next move after two brutal knockout losses in his last three UFC bouts, Rogan actually suggested a move up in weight may help Rockhold just as it has surging fighters Whittaker and Rafael dos Anjos:

“Who knows? Maybe, I mean, he’s been talking about an inevitable climb to 205. He might be just like Whittaker, and like, um, who else are we talking about? Rafael dos Anjos, he might be a better fighter at 205.”

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Joe Rogan Reacts To Yoel Romero’s Brutal Knockout At UFC 221

The post Joe Rogan Reacts To Yoel Romero’s Brutal Knockout At UFC 221 appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

“Look, it might have been a good move for him but he fought Yoel Romero. I mean the reality is, Yoel Romero is f****** horrifying.”

UFC veteran Schaub then said Rockhold could beat Romero on any given day as well, something that Rogan wasn’t as quick to agree with:

“He might be able to, but he also might be able to get hit exactly like he got hit in that fight every time they fight. Dude, you don’t know, man.”

“Who knows? Maybe, I mean, he’s been talking about an inevitable climb to 205. He might be just like Whittaker, and like, um, who else are we talking about? Rafael dos Anjos, he might be a better fighter at 205.”

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