After Yoel Romero was released by the UFC, Scott Coker revealed Bellator was not interested, yet those changes planned. After a week or so, it was then reported that Romero has indeed signed with the Viacom-owned promotion. According to Coker, he says …
After Yoel Romero was released by the UFC, Scott Coker revealed Bellator was not interested, yet those changes planned. After a week or so, it was then reported that Romero has indeed signed with the Viacom-owned promotion. According to Coker, he says after signing Rumble Johnson, he heard from fans that they wanted to see […]
Bellator boss Scott Coker has explained why he decided to sign former UFC middleweight title challenger after initially ruling out signing the Cuban free agent. Romero was shockingly let go from the UFC despite competing for the promotions 185lb title earlier this year. The 43-year-old is on a three-fight losing streak but all of those […]
Romero was shockingly let go from the UFC despite competing for the promotions 185lb title earlier this year. The 43-year-old is on a three-fight losing streak but all of those losses where close and competitive fights against top level opposition in Israel Adesanya, Paulo Costa and Robert Whittaker.
At the beginning of December Coker insisted he was happy with his current roster after news broke of Romero’s UFC release. Just a few days later Romero was a Bellator fighter.
Speaking to MMA Junkie, Coker explained why he changed his mind about signing Romero, he said.
“Yoel started with us in Strikeforce back in 2008 Part of me wanted to do it. Part of me didn’t want to do it. After we signed ‘Rumble’ (Johnson), we had the chance to (sign) Yoel. We passed on (him). I’ll tell you, honestly, the amount of support he got coming through our doors and through the social channels really was impressive. Everybody wanted to see the Yoel Romero vs. ‘Rumble’ Johnson fight. I huddled up with my team.
“I’ll tell you one thing in this situation people don’t really realize: Even if we said we were going to pass, we talk to these agents all the time – every day. Yoel’s name kept coming up and coming up. Finally, I just said, ‘You know what? Let’s do it. Let’s just add him into the mix.’”
“He’s (such) an amazing talent,” Coker added. “He still is somebody that is very dangerous. He definitely can still fight. I said, ‘Let’s put him in the mix, and let’s just go for it.’ I’m glad we did. I had a little chat with him. It was great. He seems like such a nice guy and very mature. I’m looking forward to putting him into our 205-pound mix sometime next year.”
Do you think Scott Coker made the right call by signing Yoel Romero to Bellator?
Bellator President Scott Coker is well aware of the buzz surrounding a potential showdown between Yoel Romero and Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. After Bellator added Yoel Romero and Anthony Johnson to its light heavyweight roster, this pairing instantaneous…
Bellator President Scott Coker is well aware of the buzz surrounding a potential showdown between Yoel Romero and Anthony “Rumble” Johnson. After Bellator added Yoel Romero and Anthony Johnson to its light heavyweight roster, this pairing instantaneously became a dream fight for MMA fans around the world. Yoel Romero was asked about the fight in […]
Prior to his UFC release, Yoel Romero had a specific game plan for Israel Adesanya that never had the opportunity to materialize: kill or be killed. At UFC 248, Yoel Romero received what many believed would be his last opportunity to be a UFC world cha…
Prior to his UFC release, Yoel Romero had a specific game plan for Israel Adesanya that never had the opportunity to materialize: kill or be killed. At UFC 248, Yoel Romero received what many believed would be his last opportunity to be a UFC world champion. After all, Romero was 42 years old and had […]
Anthony Johnson is not as confident as Yoel Romero that they will be facing one another in their Bellator debuts. When Anthony Johnson and Yoel Romero separated from the UFC only to later join Bellator’s light heavyweight division, it didn’t take long …
Anthony Johnson is not as confident as Yoel Romero that they will be facing one another in their Bellator debuts. When Anthony Johnson and Yoel Romero separated from the UFC only to later join Bellator’s light heavyweight division, it didn’t take long for fans to collectively start thinking the same thing: Johnson vs. Romero. Even […]
When former multiple-time UFC middleweight title challenger, Yoel ‘Soldier of God’ Romero parted ways with the UFC last week by mutual consent, many were surprised given the fact the Cuban finisher still retained three-fights on his then Octagon deal. Recently penning a multi-fight deal to link up with Bellator MMA after an almost seven-annum stay […]
When former multiple-time UFC middleweight title challenger, Yoel ‘Soldier of God’ Romero parted ways with the UFC last week by mutual consent, many were surprised given the fact the Cuban finisher still retained three-fights on his then Octagon deal.
Recently penning a multi-fight deal to link up with Bellator MMA after an almost seven-annum stay with the Dana White led UFC, the 43-year-old is linking up with the organization off the back of three consecutive decision losses, two of them albeit contentious.
Romero, who plys his trade at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida was recently pencilled in to meet with The Ultimate Fighter 17 runner-up, Uriah ‘Prime Time’ Hall at UFC Vegas 7 in August, with the pairing failing to materialise after the former withdrew with reasons undisclosed.
Speaking with ESPN MMA reporter, Ariel Helwani, Romero explained his surprise with his release from the promotion, claiming the UFC had planned on pairing him with the above mentioned, Hall as well as previous opposition, Derek Brunson — despite his idea for a top-three opponent.
“I was already in training, very hard, getting ready,” Romero said. “We were already thinking about fighting in January or February, in 185(-pounds) or 205 (-pounds). We were looking to fight with the top three in either division.“
“My managers (Malki Kawa) explained this to the top of the UFC,” Romero continued. [The UFC] wanted (me) to fight with Uriah Hall, (or) Derek Brunson. We explained that it didn’t make sense for (me) to fight with these young men. We had an idea we were chasing the world title. The way we were training, we knew we had one or two fights and then go for the belt. Our thought was fighting any of these guys in the back of the roster was taking steps backwards, not forwards.“
With the promotion and Romero hitting a stumbling block in terms of potential next opponents at middleweight after his March title challenge loss to current champion, Israel Adesanya, Romero noted his interest in a long-speculated move to the light heavyweight division.
After some thought, Romero and co decided on a shortlist of foes including two-time title challenger, Dominick Reyes, as well as one-time championship chasers, Thiago Santos, Glover Teixeira, and Anthony Smith — with the promotion instead floating Brazilian contender, Johnny Walker.
“They (the UFC) came back with an offer for us to fight Johnny Walker at 205(-pounds),” Romero said. “My managers initially were saying who we wanted: Dominick Reyes, Glover (Teixeira), (Thiago) Santos and Anthony Smith. And it was back and forth, kind of quiet on their end, and once they reached back, it was we couldn’t come to an agreement and they were going to commit to the release.” (H/T ESPN MMA)
After even more speculation as to where the Cuban Olympic silver medal victor would land in a bid to resume his mixed martial arts career, Scott Coker’s Bellator eventually snapped up the veteran knockout-artist to a multi-fight deal, despite initially distancing themselves from negotiations.
Bellator boss Scott Coker has explained why he decided to sign former UFC middleweight title challenger after initially ruling out signing the Cuban free agent. Romero was shockingly let go from the UFC despite competing for the promotions 185lb title earlier this year. The 43-year-old is on a three-fight losing streak but all of those […]
When former multiple-time UFC middleweight title challenger, Yoel ‘Soldier of God’ Romero parted ways with the UFC last week by mutual consent, many were surprised given the fact the Cuban finisher still retained three-fights on his then Octagon deal. Recently penning a multi-fight deal to link up with Bellator MMA after an almost seven-annum stay […]