Yoel Romero scored a knockout victory over Alex Nicholson in Jorge Masvidal's bareknuckle MMA promotion at age 49. Romero executed a double-leg takedown, took Nicholson down, and delivered a devastating blow to the jaw that broke it, causing Nicholson to tap out in submission. The fight lasted just 70 seconds total. Nicholson is 35 years old with a record listed as 22-17 in MMA, though the post notes there are varying reports on his exact record. This represents a brutal finish for the aging Cuban wrestler in the bareknuckle format.
Yoel Romero, the 49-year-old Cuban wrestling legend, delivered a stunning 70-second bareknuckle MMA finish over Alex Nicholson at Jorge Masvidal's bareknuckle promotion, stopping his opponent with a jaw-breaking strike on the ground.
Romero, who fights out of American Top Team under the nickname "Soldier of God," holds a 13-5 professional MMA record and remains one of the sport's most physically imposing athletes despite his age. The southpaw stands six feet tall with a 73-inch reach and has long been known for his explosive wrestling base, averaging 1.57 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career. He put that skill to immediate use, executing a double-leg takedown before unleashing the bareknuckle ground strike that ended the contest.
Nicholson, 36, known as "The Spartan," represents the American Top Team Orlando affiliate and carries a 7-4 professional record. The orthodox striker stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, giving him a significant size advantage over Romero on paper. Nicholson averages 4.12 significant strikes per minute with 43 percent accuracy, but he never got the chance to establish his output. The finishing blow broke his jaw, prompting a tapout and ending the fight before the first round had barely begun.
Why it matters
- Romero, at 49, demonstrated that his explosive wrestling and ground-and-pound remain genuinely dangerous in the bareknuckle format
- The bareknuckle MMA format amplified the damage potential of Romero's ground strikes, turning what might have been a routine ground-and-pound sequence into a fight-ending jaw fracture
- The result raises Romero's profile within Masvidal's promotion and reinforces the bareknuckle format's appeal as a platform for veteran combat sports names
