Yoel Romero, at 49 years old, knocked out Alex Nicholson in a bare-knuckle MMA promotion run by Jorge Masvidal. Romero secured a takedown, then delivered a devastating strike to the jaw that broke it, forcing Nicholson to tap out in submission. The fight lasted only 70 seconds. Nicholson, age 35, has a mixed martial arts record of 22-17 according to the post, though different sources may list varying records. This demonstrates Romero's continued finishing power even at an advanced age for combat sports.
Yoel Romero, the 49-year-old Cuban-born knockout artist, stopped Alex Nicholson in just 70 seconds at a bare-knuckle MMA event promoted by Jorge Masvidal, finishing the fight with a crushing jaw-breaking strike that forced Nicholson to tap out.
Romero, who competes out of American Top Team and carries a professional MMA record of 13-5, showed no signs of diminished power despite his age. The southpaw secured a takedown before landing a devastating blow to the jaw that left Nicholson with a broken jaw and no choice but to submit. Standing six feet tall with a 73-inch reach, Romero has long been regarded as one of combat sports' most physically remarkable competitors, and this finish only reinforces that reputation. He connects on 49 percent of his significant strikes, one of the sharper accuracy marks among veterans of his era.
Nicholson, nicknamed "The Spartan," is 36 years old and fights out of American Top Team Orlando. The six-foot-four orthodox striker carries a 7-4 record and owns a 77-inch reach, giving him a considerable physical frame. He averages 4.12 significant strikes landed per minute but could not weather Romero's output once the fight hit the ground.
The event was organized under the banner of Jorge Masvidal, the 41-year-old Miami-born fighter known as "Gamebred" who holds a 35-17 professional record and has been expanding his promotional footprint in bare-knuckle MMA.
Why it matters
- Romero's finishing power at 49 challenges conventional assumptions about elite athlete shelf life in combat sports
- The bare-knuckle MMA format amplifies the danger of Romero's already precise striking, which connects at 49 percent accuracy
- Masvidal's promotion signals growing interest in the bare-knuckle MMA space from established UFC names
