Israel Adesanya Reflects on His Most Boring UFC Fight Against Yoel Romero

UFC star Israel Adesanya has described his March 2020 middleweight title defense against Yoel Romero at UFC 248 as one of the dullest contests in mixed martial arts history. MMA Junkie reported that the championship bout featured just 88 total strikes landed across five rounds as Adesanya retained his belt via decision.

Adesanya Recalls the 2020 Title Bout at UFC 248

Adesanya revisited the lackluster encounter during a recent video breakdown on his YouTube channel, drawing comparisons to recent fight cards. “I had one of the most exciting fights in the history of the planet that’s inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, but I also had one of the most boring fights in the history of the company alongside Yoel Romero,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel, as quoted by BJPenn.com.

Caution and Power Shots Shape a Sparse Encounter

Both fighters entered the Octagon with well-earned reputations as knockout artists, but mutual respect kept the action at a minimum. Adesanya explained that an early power punch from Romero drastically altered his perspective during the bout.

“When he hit me with that zinger, I seen four in front of me, and I thought, ‘OK, he’s going to come in for the kill,'” Adesanya said, according to BJ Penn.com. “He just played the game and yeah, it was a boring fight. But he’s a dangerous man. There’s a reason he didn’t want to come close and there’s a reason I didn’t want to risk again getting hit by that zinger.”

Romero Continues Competing at Age 49

While the 2020 title fight drew criticism from fans and media for its lack of engagement, Romero has continued his combat sports career into his late forties. MMA Junkie reported that Romero recently competed in a bare-knuckle boxing match for BKFC against Darren Till at AO Arena in Manchester, England. Although Romero lost the bout, he managed to drop and cut the British fighter.