Tag: Yoel Romero

Video: Whose legacy will be impacted most between the two Bellator 297 title fights?

We discuss how Yoel Romero, Vadim Nemkov, Sergio Pettis, and Patricio Freire could have their legacies impacted in a big way at Bellator 297.

Bellator has one of the biggest events in its history Friday in Chicago with two title fights at the top of the bill.

In the main event of Bellator 297, [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] puts his light heavyweight title on the line against former UFC title challenger [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag]. In the co-feature, [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] returns from injury to defend his bantamweight title against featherweight champ [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag].

Nemkov is in the conversation for the best light heavyweight in the world, and if he’s victorious against the always-dangerous Romero, his argument will only strengthen. If Romero wins at 46, he will have an incredible achievement in the late stage of his career.

Freire is attempting to make history again, as he looks to claim a world title in a third division. Questions surround him about his weight cut for this one, but also, Pettis may have some rust to knock off after being out of action since December 2021.

Who has the most on the line here? History and legacies are at play, but which outcome has the biggest impact? Would it be Romero’s late title run? Would it be Freire daring to be great, and even going further for a fourth title at flyweight? Will a Pettis victory place him among the greats at 135 pounds?

Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Mike Bohn, Dan Tom, and Brian “Goze” Garcia answer those questions with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia. You can watch their discussion in the video above and check out this week’s full episode below.

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Bellator 297 video: Why Yoel Romero ‘faced off’ with Vadim Nemkov virtually from his hotel bed

Bellator’s headlining champs and challengers had their first faceoffs of fight week Wednesday 1,350 feet in the air – absent one key player.

CHICAGO – Bellator’s headlining champs and challengers had their first faceoffs of fight week Wednesday 1,350 feet in the air … absent one key player, though.

Light heavyweight champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) puts his title on the line against [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) in the Bellator 297 main event.

In the co-feature, [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA) chases history when he tries to add the bantamweight title to his current featherweight belt. He challenges 135-pound champ [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA) in the co-feature, and a win will make him the first fighter in Bellator history to have titles in three different divisions.

Wednesday, the fighters took questions from the media at a press conference at the Skydeck at Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), Chicago’s tallest building. At 1,451 feet, the Willis Tower is the 23rd tallest building in the world, third tallest in the U.S. and has the tallest public viewing area of any building in the country.

But Romero elected to stay at the host hotel in downtown Chicago rather than go to the 99th floor of the building. Romero, he said, is afraid of heights. He joined the press conference through a video feed in his hotel room. That meant no faceoff for the main event, but there were three others.

Check out the highlights from the co-main event faceoff in the video above, as well as the faceoff between [autotag]Corey Anderson[/autotag] (17-6 MMA, 3-1 BMMA) and former light heavyweight champion [autotag]Phil Davis[/autotag] (24-6 MMA, 11-3 BMMA) and an appearance from Chicago’s own [autotag]Daniel James[/autotag] (15-6-1 MMA, 3-0 BMMA), a heavyweight contender who opens the main card against Gokhan Saricam (8-2 MMA, 4-2 BMMA).

Bellator 297 takes place Friday at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

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Yoel Romero’s top 5 most vicious UFC knockout wins

Yoel Romero certainly left a lasting mark with these finishes during his seven-year UFC tenure.

[autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag]’s run in the UFC was quite the ride. It was chaotic, strange, and unpredictable, but in the best way possible.

Few had any idea what to expect from the Cuban fighter who had little MMA experience and was already in his late 30’s when he arrived, but he brought an unreal, Greek god-like physique and a decorated past in the highest level of wrestling.

To some, Romero surpassed expectations, as the best part of his athletic career was supposed to be in the rearview mirror when he left Cuba to start a fighting career. Romero fell short to others, as many times he came inches from winning a UFC title, but he just couldn’t get the job done.

Either way, his UFC career gave fans lovely soundbites, ridiculous Fight of the Nights, and much more. But above all, Romero created some of the most insane and devastating knockouts ever seen – which will forever highlight his UFC career.

Ahead of his Bellator 297 title fight this Friday against Vadim Nemkov, MMA Junkie compiled the top five UFC knockouts from “The Soldier of God.”

Why champ Vadim Nemkov is happy Yoel Romero fight was delayed to Bellator 297

Vadim Nemkov thought his initial booking with Yoel Romero was too quick of a turnaround.

CHICAGO – Bellator light heavyweight champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] believed his initial booking with [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] was too quick of a turnaround.

Nemkov (16-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) was scheduled to defend his title against Romero (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) at Bellator 290 in February – less than three months after winning the promotion’s grand prix final against Corey Anderson.

Nemkov ended up withdrawing due to injury, and the pair have been rebooked for Friday’s Bellator 297 headliner at Wintrust Arena in Chicago. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

“I’m actually happy that this fight is happening (Friday) since I have the previous fight and the time between these two fights would have been very short,” Nemkov told MMA Junkie and other reporters through an interpreter. “So right now I have more time to prepare properly.

“I had more time to prepare myself and be in better shape this time. When you’re preparing for a fight that goes five rounds, five minutes each, you have to prepare harder, and you have to have more time to get prepared. This is why it’s very hard to fight every three months for five-round fights.”

Nemkov, a Sambo champion, will be taking on Olympic silver medalist wrestler Romero. But based on what he’s seen from Romero recently, he expects a stand-up battle.

“We both can wrestle, and we both can strike,” Nemkov said. “But I watched the last couple of fights from him, and I know myself. It’s probably not gonna be too much wrestling in this fight.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

Yoel Romero ensures Bellator 297 won’t be ‘the same as last time’ he had title fight in Chicago

Yoel Romero wants to right the wrong of his prior UFC 225 title fight in Chicago when he meets Vadim Nemkov this Friday at Bellator 297.

CHICAGO – [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] wants to right the wrong of his prior title fight that took place in the “Windy City.”

Romero (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA), a former four-time UFC title challenger, came closest to capturing gold when he was edged out by Robert Whittaker in June 2018 at UFC 225. Despite dropping Whittaker multiple times, Romero lost the fight by split decision and wasn’t eligible to win the belt anyway after missing weight by 0.2 pounds.

Romero thought he won that fight and vows to leave Chicago with his hand raised this time when he challenges Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov (16-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) in Friday’s Bellator 297 headliner at Wintrust Arena.

“On some occasions, it’s good to remember and believe in those things that motivate me,” Romero told MMA Junkie and other reporters during Tuesday’s media day. “When I trained, it was to come back and fight here. Years ago, I was a champion of another company. Everyone knows what happened in that fight. This time I’ll make sure it’s not the same as last time. So for the day, I tell my children. I’ll have another story to tell them.”

After back-to-back knockouts of Alex Polizzi and Melvin Manhoef, Romero will get a title shot against Nemkov, who’s yet to lose in Bellator. Having fought the likes of UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and a slew of former UFC champions, Romero, at 46, is confident he has the experience to prevail.

“Every fighter is different,” Romero said. “I’ve fought very good fighters before. They all have something special. Nemkov’s an exceptional, amazing fighter. I don’t think he’s above or below the level of fighters I’ve fought before. It is what it is.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.

UFC veterans in MMA and boxing action June 16-17

Check out which veterans of the UFC are in combat sports action across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC is back home in Las Vegas for UFC Fight Night 225.

The event at the UFC Apex features a middleweight main event between former title challengers [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag] and [autotag]Jared Cannonier[/autotag].

Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

This week, there are a total of 22 veterans of the global MMA leader competing in MMA this week from June 16-17.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

Bellator 297 pre-event facts: Patricio ‘Pitbull’ can be first to achieve triple champ status

Check out all the facts and figures about Bellator 297, where Patricio Freire is on the cusp of an unprecedented MMA accomplishment.

The biggest Bellator event of the year so far goes down Friday with Bellator 297, which takes place at Wintrust Arena in Chicago with a main card that airs on Showtime following prelims streamed on MMA Junkie.

A championship doubleheader is featured on the top of a loaded card. In the main card, [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (15-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) will attempt to make his third light heavyweight title defense when he takes on [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA). The co-headliner, meanwhile, sees the return of bantamweight titleholder [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 4-0 BMMA), who attempts to defend against current featherweight and former lightweight champ [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 22-5 BMMA) in a potentially historic affair.

For more on the numbers behind the two title fights, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about Bellator 297.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (March 27-April 2)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie from March 27-April 2.

Bellator 297 heads to Chicago with Vadim Nemkov vs. Yoel Romero, Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Pitbull

A massive Bellator card is headed to the “Windy City” with two titles on the line.

Bellator is headed back to Chicago, and two title fights are coming with it.

The promotion has booked Bellator 297 for June 16 at Wintrust Arena where light heavyweight champion [autotag]Vadim Nemkov[/autotag] (16-2 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) will face [autotag]Yoel Romero[/autotag] (15-6 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) in the night’s headliner. In the co-main event, featherweight champion [autotag]Patricio Freire[/autotag] (35-5 MMA, 23-5 BMMA) drops to bantamweight to challenge 135-pound titleholder [autotag]Sergio Pettis[/autotag] (22-5 MMA, 9-5 BMMA).

Promotion officials confirmed the news to MMA Junkie on Monday after an initial report by NBC Sports Chicago. The event will air on Showtime after prelims streamed on MMA Junkie.

Nemkov and Romero were originally expected to square off at Bellator 290 in February. However, Nemkov withdrew from the bout. Nemkov is coming off his grand prix-winning title defense against Corey Anderson in November. He has not lost since 2016.

Romero, 45, makes his first Bellator title challenge after multiple tries at middleweight gold in the UFC. Since joining Bellator in 2021, Romero lost a split decision to Phil Davis in his promotional debut before back-to-back wins over Melvin Manhoef and Alex Polizzi.

In what will be his Bellator bantamweight debut, Freire aims to pick up a title in a third weight class with the promotion. A former lightweight champion, Freire has reigned as featherweight champion since 2017 – with the exception of a nine-month period after a loss to A.J. McKee. In a rematch, Freire avenged his previous defeat before more recent victories over Adam Borics and Kleber Erbst.

Pettis, 29, is set to compete for the first time since he won the Bellator bantamweight title with a spinning backfist knockout of Kyoji Horiguchi in December 2021. Pettis was scheduled to compete in the ongoing Bellator bantamweight grand prix but withdrew prior to its start due to an ACL tear.

With the additions, the Bellator 297 lineup includes:

  • Champion Vadim Nemkov vs. Yoel Romero – for light heavyweight title
  • Champion Sergio Pettis vs. Patricio Freire – for bantamweight title

Bellator in 2022: A robust look at the stats, streaks, skids, and records

A full recap of Bellator’s most significant footnotes and milestones from the events, fights and individual performances of 2022.

Another year is in the books for Bellator.

The promotion hosted 17 fight cards to maintain its status among the top dogs in the MMA space. During that time, many records were set and a host of historic moments were produced.

Now that the year has come to a close, here are some of 2022’s most significant fights and individual performances.