49-year-old Yoel Romero scores knockout in bare-knuckle MMA debut

Yoel Romero, the 49-year-old Cuban wrestling phenom, made a striking entrance into bare-knuckle MMA on May 2, 2026, stopping Alex Nicholson in just 70 seconds at an event promoted by fellow American Top Team member Jorge Masvidal.

Romero, who competes out of American Top Team and carries a professional MMA record of 13-5, wasted no time in his debut under the bare-knuckle format. Fighting out of a southpaw stance and standing six feet tall with a 73-inch reach, Romero shot for a takedown early, dragged the fight to the canvas, and landed a single devastating punch to the jaw that broke it. Nicholson had no choice but to tap out. The finish underscores Romero's longstanding reputation for explosive power and elite wrestling, reflected in his 1.57 takedowns per 15 minutes across his career.

Nicholson, nicknamed "The Spartan," is a 36-year-old American fighter based out of American Top Team Orlando. Standing six-foot-four at 193 cm with a 77-inch reach, he is a rangy and physically imposing presence who lands 4.12 significant strikes per minute at 43 percent accuracy. He had no recorded takedown attempts in his statistical profile, which may have left him vulnerable once Romero closed the distance.

Why it matters

• Romero's ability to finish a fight inside 70 seconds at age 49 signals he remains a legitimate threat in combat sports outside the traditional MMA structure.
• The event, promoted by Masvidal, continues to raise the profile of bare-knuckle MMA as a format attracting recognizable names.
• Nicholson's lack of takedown defense statistics made him a stylistically difficult match against a wrestler of Romero's caliber.