If you were one of the many surprised by the sudden release of Yoel Romero over the weekend, you may want to brace yourself for similar news in the coming weeks.
It was reported Friday that perennial title contender Yoel Romero parted ways with the UFC after a seven-year run. At 43 years old, Romero’s time in the promotion seemed to run out with Romero failing to achieve his goal of becoming UFC champion. Following UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. Vettori, Dana White was asked about what prompted the release. As can be expected, age was one factor, but another was Romero’s recent lack of success. What’s more, Yoel Romero will not be alone on the chopping block leading into 2021 according to the boss.
“We’re gonna go through some serious cuts here at the end of the year, probably gonna have 60 cuts coming up before the first of the year,” White said at the UFC Vegas 16 post-fight press conference. “And Yoel has lost 4 of his last 5. He’s 44 years old. Our roster is very inflated right now. So we’re gonna have some big cuts coming before the end of the year. You’re gonna see a lot of names going here in the next several weeks.”
Dana White was then asked if there was any substance to rumors that the release could have stemmed from behind-the-scenes issues such as failed negotiations or any wrongdoing on Romero’s part. White swiftly shut that down.
“Nothing like that,” White assured. “We’re literally just starting to go through the list. And he’s 44. He’s lost four of his last five, and these are the tough decisions you gotta make.”
While it is true that Yoel Romero has lost four of his last five fights, what White’s remark does not consider is whom the losses were against. They came against former middleweight champions Robert Whittaker (two losses), Israel Adesanya, and the most recent title challenger, then-undefeated Paulo Costa. In fact, three of those fights (both Whittaker fights and the Costa fight) were so close that many scored them for Romero, so he was still fighting at a high level, at least high enough for him to be in a title fight in his last fight anyway.
Ultimately, Yoel Romero’s age is likely the biggest contributing factor to White’s decision. But if Romero chooses to continue his MMA career, the number next to his name will not scare off everyone, and he will almost surely find a new home if he is seeking one.
What do you think of Dana White’s reasoning for releasing Yoel Romero?
