The Pinar del Río native Yoel “The Soldier of God” Romero once again defied time and expectations with a stunning debut in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).
At 48 years old, the former Olympic champion and UFC veteran not only proved that his power remains intact, but also confirmed that retirement is not in his immediate plans.
Romero made his debut at BKFC 80, held at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, with a spectacular victory over Theo Doukas.
The Cuban resolved the dispute in the second round, when the referee halted the action at 1:56 after three knockdowns and a deep cut that left his opponent without the option to continue.
The knockout adds to the extensive career of the fighter, who in 2023 had already made it clear that he planned to compete until he was 52 years old. “There is no possibility, no possibility at all,” he had told MMA Junkie regarding a potential retirement. Today, with this victory, he reinforces that statement and demonstrates that he still feels competitive at the elite level of combat sports.
Romero, who has accumulated six victories in eight fights since his departure from the UFC in 2020, also has a contract that allows him to alternate between bare-knuckle boxing and mixed martial arts. In fact, his last MMA fight was in February 2024, when he defeated Thiago Santos by decision in PFL.
The BKFC 80 event had another Cuban standout: Leonardo El Zambo Perdomo, who solidified his rise by knocking out Arnold Adams in just 1:09 of the first round in the main event. Between Romero and Perdomo, the night was marked by the Cuban stamp and the affirmation that bare-knuckle boxing is currently experiencing a moment of international popularity.
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