Yoel Romero Admits Fighting Bisping Would ‘Taste Better’
No. 1-ranked UFC middleweight contender Yoel Romero is undoubtedly deserving of a title shot. The former Olympian has won an incredible eight straight, with six of those victories coming by way of stoppage. After finishing ex-champion Chris Weidman last November at UFC 205 in New York City, Romero was expected to be the next challenger to champion Michael Bisping’s throne.
Instead, the UFC announced that Bisping would next take on returning former welterweight king Georges St. Pierre. That bout has yet to receive a date, however, after it was made clear that Bisping was still suffering from a knee injury and St. Pierre wouldn’t be ready to compete until the fall.
With the top of the division at a dead lock, the UFC was forced to keep things moving. In order to do so, the promotion booked Romero in an interim title bout with red hot No. 3-ranked Robert Whittaker at July 8’s UFC 213 from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Recently speaking on the fight, Romero said that he’s ‘okay’ with the situation, although he admits it would’ve been ‘a bit better’ had he been matched against Bisping:
“No, I take the interim belt, fight for the interim belt and then I wait for Mr. Bisping.” said Romero during a recent appearance on The MMA Hour. “I am not dissatisfied, I am okay. You have to have in your head that you have to go step-by-step, and my goal right now is to fight for the title and that’s what I am going for. I am going to get that title.”
“It’s not one specific person. Now, the food would’ve probably tasted a bit better had it been against Bisping, and everybody knows why.”
Romero and Bisping have gone back-and-forth quite a bit in the media over the last few months and a fight between the two would likely be quite intriguing. “The Solider of God”, however, will first have to get through “The Reaper” and he knows that’s no easy task:
“He’s a great athlete, he’s doing everything that he needs to do to become a greater fighter and the worst mistake any fighter can make in front of Whittaker, is to underestimate him. He is a great athlete.”
Whittaker is riding an impressive seven fight win streak of his own and is coming off of a vicious TKO victory over former Strikeforce champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza at UFC on FOX 24 this past April. Prior to that, he had scored victories over the likes of Mike Rhodes, Clint Hester, Brad Tavares, Uriah Hall, Rafael Natal and Derek Brunson, with three of those victories coming by way of stoppage.
The 26-year-old Australia-based contenter certainly possesses an impressive resume, but he may be taking on the stiffest test of his career when he meets “The Solider of God” during International Fight Week.
Who do you expect to come out on top when Romero and Whittaker do battle in July?
