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VIDEO: Yoel Romero Lands Quick Knockout At Inaugural Dirty Boxing Championship Event

Former UFC and Bellator title challenger Yoel Romero wasted little time dispatching his opponent at the very first Dirty Boxing Championship event. To the surprise of many, Romero was a last-minute addition to the maiden card for Mike Perry’s new combat sports promotion. The striking-only organization announced the Cuban’s matchup last Friday, a day before […]

Former UFC and Bellator title challenger Yoel Romero wasted little time dispatching his opponent at the very first Dirty Boxing Championship event.

To the surprise of many, Romero was a last-minute addition to the maiden card for Mike Perry’s new combat sports promotion. The striking-only organization announced the Cuban’s matchup last Friday, a day before the private event in Miami.

“Soldier of God” — who unsuccessfully challenged Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya for UFC gold, as well as Vadim Nemkov for champ status under the Bellator banner — headlined opposite Power Slap competitor Duane Crespo.

At the event, which had limited promotion and did not stream online, Romero quickly showed his superiority over Crespo by destroying “The Iron Giant” inside the very first round.

Fights under the Dirty Championship Boxing banner consist of three-minute rounds (three for normal bouts and five for main events) and are fought with 5oz gloves. The fighters are also allowed to throw elbows.

The result on Saturday came in Romero’s first combat sports appearance since this past February, when he got the better of fellow former UFC contender Thiago Santos at the PFL vs. Bellator event in Saudi Arabia.

It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Romero in 2025, and whether or not his next outing will see a return to mixed martial arts following a foray into the ring at Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship.

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Ex-UFC Star Yoel Romero Books Last-Minute Fight at Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship

Ex-UFC Star Yoel Romero Books Last-Minute Fight at Mike Perry's Dirty Championship Boxing Yoel Romero is fighting this weekend. In a bit of news that literally came out of nowhere, the multi-time…

Yoel Romero is fighting this weekend.

In a bit of news that literally came out of nowhere, the multi-time UFC title challenger will return to action on Saturday night in Miami under the Dirty Boxing Championship banner — a striking promotion co-owned by BKFC star ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry.

Romero, 47, is set to take on former Power Slap athlete Duane Crespo in a heavyweight bout per a report from MMA Junkie.

Dirty Boxing Championship bouts are composed of three-minute rounds — five rounds for main events and championship matchups. Fighters will compete in five-ounce gloves inside a custom DBX ring where both ground and pound and elbows are permitted.

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Yoel Romero last competed at PFL vs. Bellator in February

Romero will be competing in his first fight since a unanimous decision victory over Thiago Santos at the PFL vs. Bellator event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Before that, ‘Soldier of God’ had competed four times under the Bellator banner, going 2-2 in the process.

A silver medalist at the 2020 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, Romero is best known for his UFC run where he was scheduled to fight for the middleweight title on four separate occasions. Two of those instances saw Romero fail to make the 185-pound limit, disqualifying him from winning the title in bouts against Luke Rockhold and Robert Whittaker.

Romero’s last chance at the strap came against Israel Adesanya at UFC 248 — a title tilt that went down as one of the worst fights in UFC history.

Dirty Boxing Championship is the brainchild of Mike Perry and his business partners, including former Karate Combat President Adam Kovacs, serial entrepreneur Josh McClean, and the accomplished Kawa brothers of First Round Management.

“It’s time to get dirty! We’ve been working so hard on this all year, I can’t wait for Saturday night,” Perry ahead of the promotion’s debut event. “Hands, elbows, ground and pound — these fights are going to be wild and they’re going to be up close and personal. I love that we’re doing this sort of underground launch event, it’s like a private fight club. We’ll release the tapes after the event but if you want to peek inside while the fights are going on, follow our social channels.”

Ex-UFC star Yoel Romero reveals stunning BKFC move is in the works: ‘We are cooking something’

Former multiple-time UFC middleweight championship challenger, Yoel Romero has revealed interesting plans are already in place for him to…

Former multiple-time UFC middleweight championship challenger, Yoel Romero has revealed interesting plans are already in place for him to make a spectacular move to the BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) – as soon as a couple of months.

Romero, a current Bellator MMA contender, most recently featured earlier this year at Bellator vs. PFL – turning in a unanimous decision victory over fellow former UFC title challenger, Thiago Santos.

Yoel Romero rules out retirement talk ahead of Bellator 297 I plan to fight until I'm 52 — Mandatory Credit: Bellator MMA

Improving to 3-2 over the course of five fights in the promotion, Cuban veteran, Romero has also landed devastating knockout wins over both Alex Polizzi, and fellow veteran striker, Melvin Manhoef.

Challenging for light heavyweight gold back in June of last year, Olympic silver medal winner, Romero dropped a unanimous decision loss to Russian star, Vadim Nemkov.

Yoel Romero reveals BKFC move is in the works

And weighing up his fighting future amid links to a host of contests and organization, Romero boldly claimed recently that he has the key to beat incumbent light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira – who headlines UFC 303 this weekend.

“A lot of people talk and they think if I would fight against the big champ (Alex) Pereira in the UFC, 205lbs – he has plenty of experience,” Yoel Romero said on the Overdogs podcast. “[He] is a born striker, it would be an honor to fight people with caliber [like him]. He’s a man born of a women, same as me.”

“Everything is possible when you believe, he has two hands, I also have two hands – all can happen,” Yoel Romero continued. “The strategy to beat Alex is doing a well mixed fight. You can’t wrestle and wrestle [continuously], you can’t do striking and striking [continously].”

However, the veteran Pinar del Rio fan-favorite claimed a move to the BKFC was targeted – with a potential debut just months away.

“We are cooking something,” Yoel Romero explained. “You all know that I came from a boxing family and one thing I still have to do in life is fighting in a ring. But this time, only punches. We are cooking something, and something soon. We are not talking about a year – nothing about that. We are talking about months.”

How do you think Yoel Romero would fare in the BKFC?

Yoel Romero claims to have key to beat Alex Pereira in future clash: ‘It would be an honor to fight him’

Promotional veteran, Yoel Romero has claimed to have the key to topple incoming UFC 303 headliner, Alex Pereira at…

Promotional veteran, Yoel Romero has claimed to have the key to topple incoming UFC 303 headliner, Alex Pereira at the light heavyweight limit, suggesting a strategy of mixing the martial arts is a surefire way to beat the Brazilian.

Romero, a former multiple-time title challenger at the middleweight limit during his tenure with the Dana White-led organization, has since made the move to Bellator MMA following the end of his UFC contract, fighting five times since.

Sidelined since a PFL vs. Bellator event back in February, Cuban veteran, Romero landed a unanimous decision win over another former UFC title challenger, Thiago Santos – following an unsuccessful title charge against Vadim Nemkov.

As for Pereira, the former middleweight champion an incumbent light heavyweight kingpin, headlines UFC 303 next weekend on short-notice in a title fight re-run against Jiri Prochazka.

Yoel Romero previews Alex Pereira fight in the future

And faltering just once in the Octagon in the form of a second round knockout loss to Israel Adesanya back in April of last year, Sao Paulo knockout ace, Pereira can be defeated by mixing up a fighting strategy, according to Olympic wrestling medal winner, Romero.

Alex Pereira backed as new face of the company after accepting short notice title fight at UFC 303

Would you have liked to see Yoel Romero and Alex Pereira in their primes?

Yoel Romero punishes Thiago Santos’ lead leg en route to unanimous decision – PFL vs. Bellator Highlights

Yoel Romero got back into the win column on Saturday night inside the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia…

Yoel Romero got back into the win column on Saturday night inside the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at PFL vs. Bellator: Champs

Representing Bellator MMA, the former UFC title challenger delivered a methodical performance against the always-dangerous Thiago Santos. Through three rounds of action, the ‘Soldier of God’ punished Santos’ lead leg which stifled Santos’ offense through most of the 15-minute affair.

Official Result: Yoel Romero def. Thiago Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Romero moved to 16-7 in his mixed martial arts career and earned his first win since a September 2022 meeting with Melvin Manhoef. Santos fell to 22-12 and has now lost five of his last six fights.

Check Out Highlights From Yoel Romero vs. Thiago Santos at PFL vs. Bellator:

Ex-UFC referee ‘Big’ John McCarthy answers for controversial call made more than a decade ago

Former UFC middleweight contender Tim Kennedy woke up on Wednesday and decided to break out a can of 10-year-old beef. Kennedy, who was once a prominent name in the division after making a name for himself under the Strikeforce banner is still a little salty about a decade-old fight between himself and Yoel Romero. After […]

Former UFC middleweight contender Tim Kennedy woke up on Wednesday and decided to break out a can of 10-year-old beef.

Kennedy, who was once a prominent name in the division after making a name for himself under the Strikeforce banner is still a little salty about a decade-old fight between himself and Yoel Romero.

After an impressive four-year stint in Strikeforce, Kennedy made his UFC debut in 2013 and promptly rattled off three-straight wins over Roger Gracie, Rafael Natal, and Michael Bisping. That streak led him to a big divisional matchup with Romero at UFC 178. Kennedy clearly lost the opening round, but he stormed back in the second, lighting up the ‘Soldier of God’ with a flurry of strikes.

In between the second and third rounds, there was some confusion that ultimately led to Romero being allowed to sit on his stool for longer than the traditional 60 seconds of allotted time between each round. With more time to recover, Romero came surging back in the third and finished Kennedy less than a minute into the final round.

Tim Kennedy was left fuming and apparently, a decade later, he’s still not over it.

“Robbery anniversary and the end of my fight career,” Kennedy wrote on X. “Dear Nevada Athletic Commission. NAC 467.728 If a combatant fails or refuses to resume competing when the bell sounds … the referee shall award a decision of TKO.”

Robbery anniversary and the end of my fight career.

Dear Nevada Athletic Commission. NAC 467.728 If a combatant fails or refuses to resume competing when the bell sounds…the referee shall award a decision of TKO.

— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) September 27, 2023

Former UFC Ref John McCarthy Offers Explanation to Tim Kennedy

Kennedy’s comments didn’t go unnoticed by legendary UFC referee, and the man who just happened to be overseeing Kennedy’s fight with Romero that night, ‘Big’ John McCarthy.

Responding to Kennedy’s comments on social media, McCarthy offered a lengthy explanation for what happened that evening and why Romero was allowed to continue after taking longer than the allowed time.

“Tim you are an amazing person and I truly wish the very best life has to offer both you and your family,” McCarthy wrote. “Perhaps I could of done something differently during your fight. I wish I had the forethought to envision this exact situation before it ever occurred and that way I may have handled it differently.

“But you are not stating facts about what occurred. Yoel was told to stay seated by the NSAC Inspector. The truth is the Cutman hired and paid for by the UFC did not re-enter the cage when summoned to do so and that is what held up the start of the 3rd round. It is not Yoel’s fault that this occurred and the Cutman is not part of Yoel’s official corner. Language barriers did not help as well.

It’s egregious to penalize a person when they are not at fault and that is why there were no point deductions nor DQ. Was it completely fair to you? No I don’t believe it was, but there are times when there is no perfect solution in the moment. I hope the very best for you in all that you do.”

Most UFC fans were quick to suggest that Yoel Romero had intentionally milked the clock to allow himself more time to recover, but with McCarthy offering up his explanation, do you see it differently now?