Yoel Romero`s upcoming fight is against a more challenging opponent than Mauricio `Shogun` Rua was expected to be.
Yoel Romero, a veteran of UFC and Bellator title fights, was originally set to debut in the new MMA promotion GFL against former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Shogun Rua.
GFL has signed several former UFC stars who are past their prime, such as Urijah Faber (45), Tony Ferguson (41), and Yoel Romero himself, who at 47 years old remains in excellent physical condition.
However, Romero will no longer face UFC Hall of Famer Rua in the GFL cage.
Instead of Shogun Rua, `The Soldier of God` will now face a potentially tougher opponent: former Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi.
Yoel Romero Announces Fight Against Gegard Mousasi
Originally planned as a light heavyweight fight, Romero has confirmed that the bout will now be at 185lbs. Romero has not competed in the middleweight division since his title fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 248 in 2020.
“Shogun is out. Now, I am moving back to middleweight and will fight Gegard Mousasi,” Romero stated in an interview. “It`s scheduled for June 22 in New York City.”
Romero explained that his manager informed him of the change, saying that Shogun was out and the fight would be at middleweight against Gegard Mousasi, to which Romero agreed.
Gegard Mousasi Confirmed as Yoel Romero`s Next Opponent
Yoel Romero is currently scheduled for two fights. Before the Mousasi bout, he is set to fight Ras Hylton in Mike Perry’s ‘Dirty Boxing’ promotion.
In Dirty Boxing, fighters are restricted to strikes with their arms, including elbows, punches, and slaps, which suits Romero’s aggressive style.
Mousasi recently became a free agent after a disagreement with PFL following their acquisition of Bellator. He was granted his release after suffering recent losses to Johnny Eblen and Fabian Edwards.
Mousasi`s last fight was in May 2023. He had a successful UFC record and became a two-time champion in Bellator, with victories over notable fighters such as Rory Macdonald, Lyoto Machida, and Chris Weidman.
Yoel Romero has a comparable record and has faced common opponents with Mousasi, including Thiago Santos, Chris Weidman, and Lyoto Machida.
