Yoel Romero
UFC 2013–present · rated in 4 editions · peak overall 88.0
Scouting report
Bringing an Olympic silver medal in freestyle wrestling into MMA, Yoel "Soldier of God" Romero fought as an athletically explosive force in the middleweight division. Born in Pinar del Rio, Cuba, Romero competed in title wars while delivering flying-knee finishes over Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold, his athletic profile captured by an 81 Strength rating, 83 Wrestling, and 82 Durability, contributing to an 87 Overall score.
Peak ratings
By edition
Romero tore through the division between 2014 and 2015, scoring third-round knockouts of Derek Brunson in Duluth, Brad Tavares, and Tim Kennedy in Las Vegas, and knocking out former champion Lyoto Machida with ground elbows in Hollywood, Florida, before outpointing Ronaldo Souza at UFC 194. His Olympic freestyle wrestling, flying knees, and power are reflected in an 84 Boxing and 94 Wrestling.
At UFC 205 in Madison Square Garden in November 2016, Romero scored a third-round flying-knee knockout of former champion Chris Weidman, before engaging Robert Whittaker in a five-round interim title battle at UFC 213 in Las Vegas. His explosiveness, ankle picks, and finishing power justify his 85 Boxing and 94 Wrestling.
Romero knocked out Luke Rockhold with a third-round combination at UFC 221 in Perth, then engaged Robert Whittaker in a UFC 225 rematch in Chicago, dropping the champion twice in a close split decision, followed by a three-round fight against Paulo Costa at UFC 241 in Anaheim. His durability and one-punch knockout threat anchor his 86 Boxing and 94 Wrestling.
In March 2020 at UFC 248 in Las Vegas, Romero challenged Israel Adesanya for the UFC Middleweight Championship, going the distance in a five-round battle before departing for Bellator MMA. His counter-striking power, Olympic wrestling base, physical strength, and durable frame are captured in an 85 Boxing and 92 Wrestling rating.
Draft Yoel Romero into your build
Yoel Romero enters the pool on any spin landing on middleweight between 2014 and 2022. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Yoel Romero is regarded by the MMA community, with the EA Sports UFC games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Yoel Romero's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below.