Yoel Romero said that UFC has confirmed that he is getting a UFC middleweight title fight against champion Robert Whittaker.
Earlier this month, Yoel ‘Soldier Of God’ Romero and Luke Rockhold clashed in the main event of UFC 221 in Perth, Australia. Romero missed weight by three pounds ahead of the UFC 221 and was ineligible to claim the interim 185-pound title. As a result, the title would only be awarded if Rockhold won. Regardless of weight disaster, Romero picked up a stunning third-round knockout victory over Luke Rockhold.
With a big career win, many were debating if Yoel Romero deserves the next shot at middleweight champion Robert Whittaker due to missing weight controversy.
Recently Speaking on The MMA Hour, Romero revealed he earned the shot at gold.
“I don’t have an idea (of when), Maybe July? I don’t know when. I hear he’s sick, he’s feeling no good, he’s feeling very bad. I pray for him. I’m waiting. I’m waiting for him.”
Whittaker was initially booked to fight Rockhold in Perth but was forced out due to a nightmarish series of injuries and illnesses.
Another thing that could hurt Romero’s chances against Whittaker is a leg injury that he suffered during UFC 221, but his manager Kawa says his client is doing well and is aiming for a UFC 225 rematch with Whittaker in June. The Australian defeated Romero via a hard-fought unanimous decision at UFC 213 last year.
“Thank you, God, (the leg is) good,” Romero said.
Robert Whittaker’s return timetable is still unclear, but he said he is hoping to defend his title by mid of this year.
“This is amazing,” Romero said of the idea, which was recently proposed to the UFC by the middleweight’s team. “I think if that happens, Miami is so big, (they’ll be) happy. Everybody in Miami (would be) so happy. I want it. I want it, I want this to happen.”
Romero is turning 41 in couple months, and many fighters at this age look to get a retirement.
“I think a lot about this,” Romero said.
“I try to stay (living) a very clean life and very quiet, but I think this is God. Believe me, I think it’s God. It’s God. But if you go to Cuba, you can see many people like me too. Normal people. Normal people, not athletes. Normal people on the street. Many people are like this. But you can look like this but you can’t fight, because it’s different. That’s why, I think, this is (because of) God.”
Do you think Yoel Romero is a right contender for Robert Whittaker?
