Yoel Romero, at 49 years old, scored a devastating knockout victory over Alex Nicholson in Jorge Masvidal's bare-knuckle MMA promotion. Romero secured a takedown, transitioned to mount, and delivered a crushing blow to Nicholson's jaw that broke it, forcing the 35-year-old to tap out in submission. The finish came just 70 seconds into the fight, demonstrating that Romero retains significant power and explosiveness despite his advanced age. Nicholson entered the bout with a professional MMA record of 22-17. The quick and brutal finish showcases Romero's continued ability to compete at a high level in combat sports.
Yoel Romero proved age is just a number on May 2, finishing Alex Nicholson in a stunning 70-second knockout inside Jorge Masvidal's bare-knuckle MMA promotion.
Romero, known as the Soldier of God, wasted no time. He secured a takedown, worked his way to mount, and delivered a single crushing blow to Nicholson's jaw that reportedly broke it, forcing the 35-year-old to tap. The finish was swift, brutal, and a reminder that Romero's explosive power has not abandoned him at 49 years old. The Cuban-born American, now competing out of American Top Team, carries a professional MMA record of 13 wins and 5 losses. Throughout his career he has landed 3.44 significant strikes per minute at a 49 percent accuracy rate, while averaging 1.57 takedowns per 15 minutes — the grappling threat that set up exactly this kind of finish.
Nicholson, nicknamed The Spartan, entered the bout at 36 years old representing American Top Team Orlando. Standing six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, he brought size and striking volume to the table, landing 4.12 significant strikes per minute in his UFC career at 43 percent accuracy. His professional MMA record, however, sits at 7 wins and 4 losses by the verified database figures, a notable discrepancy from some pre-fight reports citing a 22-17 mark. The Spartan's submission attempt rate of 0.5 per 15 minutes suggested he was not without submission awareness, though Romero gave him no time to deploy it.
Why it matters
- Romero's combination of takedown ability and finishing power remained fully intact at 49, an extraordinary physical display
- The result raises his profile within Masvidal's bare-knuckle MMA circuit and reinforces its ability to attract recognizable combat sports names
- Nicholson, a former UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight, now faces back-to-back losses in the verified record
