Yoel Romaro is on a mission to beat Bellator 285,. His goal? To win a title as a middleweight that he has so far failed to achieve in his distinguished cage career.
After destroying Melvin Manhoef (a middleweight who had been tripped up), Romero declared his intention to get a title shot.
“Right now, I think all the 205 [fighters], they can chill out – they don’t have to worry about anything,” Romero told reporters after the event at 3Arena in Dublin. “I think we’re going to make the move to 185 now.”
After his release from the UFC, Romero signed with Bellator to re-start his career as a light heavyweight, a division long thought to be ideal for his frame given several weight issues in high-profile octagon fights. Romero, a former Olympic silver medalist wrestler, lost shots at the interim and undisputed UFC middleweight titles when he came in heavy on the scale.
His three losses were not enough to keep him from losing. His last loss was against Israel Adesanya, UFC 248, Romero. However, his prospects for 205 seemed much better. After a setback out of the gate against ex-champ Phil Davis, he rebounded with a knockout of Alex Polizzi in his second Bellator outing.
This past Friday’s knockout win, a ground and pound stoppage that stiffened Manhoef and sent him into retirement, was another argument in favor of Romero’s new division.
” I knew his weaknesses and strengths,” Romero stated about his victory.
But this Cuban fighter refuses to give up on his dreams.
” According to Latins, we have a lot of cooking and we are going to try for that title at 185,”. he said.
The middleweight title is held currently by Johnny Eblen (American Top Team) who defeated Gegard Mousasi twice at Belllator 282.. Eblen is yet to be booked for his next bout.
In a nod to the Dublin crowd that cheered him on, Romero said he’d like the opportunity to hoist the belt over the pond.
“If the opportunity does raise up for fighting at 185, and challenging for the title, I’d love for it to be here in Europe,” he said.
