49-year-old Yoel Romero knocks out Alex Nicholson in 70 seconds, breaks jaw

Yoel Romero delivered one of the most striking statements of his career on May 2, 2026, stopping Alex Nicholson just 70 seconds into their bare-knuckle MMA contest inside Jorge Masvidal's promotion. Romero secured a takedown, followed it to the ground, and landed a single devastating punch that broke Nicholson's jaw and forced a tapout due to injury.

Romero, known as the Soldier of God, is 49 years old and carries a professional record of 13 wins and 5 losses. The Cuban-born fighter, now representing American Top Team out of the United States, stands six feet tall with a 73-inch reach and fights out of a southpaw stance. His career striking accuracy sits at 49 percent, and he averages 1.57 takedowns per 15 minutes — a blend of wrestling dominance and punishing power that was on full display in this finish.

Nicholson, nicknamed The Spartan, is 36 years old and represents American Top Team Orlando. Standing six-foot-four with a reach of 77 inches, the orthodox striker holds a record of 7 wins and 4 losses. He averages 4.12 significant strikes landed per minute and connects at a 43 percent accuracy rate. The finish gave him little opportunity to deploy any of that output.

Why it matters

• Romero remains a credible finisher at 49, demonstrating elite takedown and ground-and-pound ability outside the traditional MMA framework
• The bare-knuckle format amplified the damage a single punch could cause, leading directly to the jaw fracture that ended the fight
• The result raises Romero's profile in the growing bare-knuckle MMA space and reinforces the drawing power of veteran UFC names in alternative promotions
• Nicholson, despite a significant size advantage at six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach, was unable to keep the fight standing long enough to use it