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Cuba Yoel Romero, a decorated Olympic silver medalist in freestyle wrestling, has carved out a formidable career in mixed martial arts, known for his formidable power and impressive knockouts across multiple organizations.
Yoel Romero partnered with Revgear as part of their fight team, endorsing their products and sharing his training experiences. He noted, "Overall my training was less painful thanks to Revgear!"
Yoel Romero signed with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in July 2025. He subsequently made his debut at BKFC 80 on September 12, 2025, against Theo Doukas, winning by technical knockout in the second round.
Yoel Romero signed with the Global Fight League (GFL) on January 16, 2025, after departing from Bellator MMA. He was scheduled for fights but GFL events were later cancelled indefinitely.
Born on April 30, 1977, in Pinar del Río, Cuba, Yoel Romero Palacio began his journey in wrestling in the 1990s. His early career saw him achieve significant success, representing Cuba at numerous international competitions. A career highlight was becoming the 1999 World Champion in freestyle wrestling at 85 kg, a title secured by defeating the 1996 Olympic gold medalist, Khadzhimurad Magomedov. Romero continued to excel in wrestling, earning a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 85 kg freestyle competition. He consistently medaled in world championships, including two silvers in 2002 and 2005, and two bronzes in 1998 and 2001. His wrestling dominance extended to the World Cup, where he won three gold medals in 1998, 2000, and 2005. He also claimed a gold medal at the 2003 Pan American Games, solidifying his status as an elite wrestler before transitioning to mixed martial arts.
Romero’s mixed martial arts career began in December 2009 after his defection to Germany in 2007. He quickly established himself with a 5-0 record in various German and Polish promotions. In 2011, he joined Strikeforce, and following its acquisition by the UFC, he made his middleweight debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship in April 2013. His UFC tenure was marked by explosive performances, earning him multiple ‘Knockout of the Night’ and ‘Performance of the Night’ bonuses. Notable victories included knockouts over Lyoto Machida and Chris Weidman. He challenged for the UFC Middleweight Championship and was involved in several high-profile bouts that earned ‘Fight of the Night’ honors. After his departure from the UFC in 2020, Romero signed a multi-fight deal with Bellator MMA, competing in the light heavyweight division. He continued to demonstrate his power with TKO victories over Alex Polizzi and Melvin Manhoef and competed for the Bellator Light Heavyweight World Championship.
In recent years, Romero’s career has extended into other combat sports. He made his bare-knuckle boxing debut with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in September 2025, winning by TKO. Additionally, he participated in Mike Perry’s “Dirty Boxing Championship” in November 2024, securing a first-round knockout, and followed up with another technical knockout victory in March 2025. His diverse career highlights his adaptability and enduring presence in the combat sports landscape. He has also been involved in a legal battle, winning a significant lawsuit regarding a tainted supplement, which resulted in a multi-million dollar award in damages.
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