Yoel Romero, at 49 years old, knocked out Alex Nicholson in Jorge Masvidal's bare-knuckle MMA promotion. Romero took Nicholson down with a double-leg takedown, then landed a devastating strike to the jaw that broke it. Nicholson tapped out in submission due to the injury. The fight lasted only 70 seconds. Nicholson is 35 years old with a record of 22-17 in MMA, though sources vary on the exact numbers. The knockout demonstrated Romero's continued power despite his advanced age.
Yoel Romero showed that age has done little to dull his finishing power, stopping Alex Nicholson in just 70 seconds inside Jorge Masvidal's bare-knuckle MMA promotion on May 2, 2026. Romero secured a double-leg takedown, then delivered a single devastating strike to Nicholson's jaw, breaking it. Nicholson tapped out from the injury, handing Romero a finish that turned heads across the combat sports world.
Romero, 49 years old and fighting out of American Top Team, carries a professional MMA record of 13-5. The Cuban-born southpaw stands six feet tall with a 73-inch reach and has long been known for his explosive athleticism and knockout power. His striking accuracy sits at 49 percent, and he averages 1.57 takedowns per 15 minutes, a number that proved relevant the moment the fight hit the ground.
Nicholson, nicknamed "The Spartan," is a 36-year-old American fighting out of American Top Team Orlando. He stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach and holds a 7-4 MMA record. An orthodox striker who lands 4.12 significant strikes per minute, Nicholson carries genuine offensive output on the feet, though the fight never gave him room to demonstrate it.
Why it matters
- Romero, at 49, remains a legitimate finisher, complicating any narrative that his best days are purely behind him
- The result lands inside a bare-knuckle MMA format that continues to attract recognizable names from the UFC roster
- Nicholson's loss came via injury stoppage rather than technical deficit, leaving questions about how a healthy rematch might unfold
- The promotion, backed by Jorge Masvidal, gains credibility with a finish of this profile on its card
