Yoel Romero Biography, Yoel Romero Palacio, born April 30, 1977, reads less like a real person and more like someone created by an overcaffeinated sports nerd pushing limits just to see what would happen. Raised in Cuba’s unforgiving wrestling system, he ruled the 85 kg freestyle world years before MMA fans learned to fear the pause, the stare, and the explosion. A 1999 world champion, 2000 Olympic silver medalist, five-time Worlds medalist, and three-time World Cup winner with six medals total—because apparently sleep was optional. Throw in Pan American gold in 2003 and five Pan Am titles, and it stops feeling impressive and starts feeling unfair. When that same athletic chaos crossed into MMA, the results were predictable: UFC title runs at middleweight, then Bellator’s light heavyweight division, where time, science, and common sense still haven’t figured out how he keeps doing this.
Yoel Romero Biography 2026
Yoel Romero is jumping back into the chaos this weekend, because of course he is. The former UFC title challenger is set to fight Saturday night in Miami at Dirty Boxing Championship, Mike Perry’s striking-heavy brainchild, and the whole thing feels perfectly on-brand for Romero—especially since the bout was announced just hours before the event on Friday night. At 47, when most fighters are long retired or doing podcasts, Romero will square off in a heavyweight clash against former Power Slap competitor Duane Crespo. It’s unexpected, slightly unhinged, and impossible not to watch, with MMA Junkie confirming the matchup and fans collectively wondering how this man is still doing this.
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| Born | Yoel Romero Palacio April 30, 1977 Pinar del Río, Cuba |
|---|---|
| Other names | Soldier of God |
| Residence | Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Nationality | Cuban American |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) |
| Division | Light heavyweight (2009–2011, 2021–present) Middleweight (2013–2020) |
| Reach | 73 in (185 cm) |
| Style | Wrestling |
| Fighting out of | Coconut Creek, Florida, U.S. |
| Team | American Top Team |
| Wrestling | Olympic Freestyle Wrestling |
| Years active | 2009–present (MMA) 1997–2005, 2007 (freestyle wrestling) |
| Category | WWE News |
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Yoel Romero Latest News
Backed by the brains behind Karate Combat and a few investors who clearly enjoy shaking the table, Mike Perry’s Dirty Boxing Championship is embracing the strange—and that’s kind of the point. The launch event throws Yoel Romero in with Power Slap’s Duane Crespo under rules that feel like boxing got bored and decided to break a few laws: elbows are in, limited ground shots are fair game, the structure stays traditional, but the gloves shrink to 5oz for extra bad intentions. It’s all happening behind closed doors with no stream, no replay, and only a handful of invited witnesses, because Perry is gambling on curiosity doing the marketing for him. And with Romero, 47 years old and still carved out of stone, the intrigue writes itself—he may slow the tempo, but when he explodes, it’s a reminder that some power doesn’t age, it just lurks.
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About Yoel Romero
Yoel Romero Palacio is a Cuban professional mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler. He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division for Bellator MMA.
- Born: 30 April 1977 (age 47 years), Pinar del Río, Cuba
- Weight: 93 kg
- Martial arts: Mixed martial arts, Freestyle wrestling
- Height: 1.78 m
- Siblings: Yoan Pablo Hernández
- Division: Light heavyweight; (2009–2011, 2021–present); Middleweight; (2013–2020)
- Other names: Soldier of God
Wrestling Career
Romero came up in the ’90s and spent the next decade surviving the brutal upper floors of international wrestling, carrying Cuba through World Championships from 1997 to 2005. The defining moment landed in 1999, when he beat Russian icon and Olympic gold medalist Khadzhimurad Magomedov for the world title—a win that still holds weight. Of course, the sport gave as much pain as glory; 2002 ended with a passivity call against Adam Saitiev and a chaotic overtime scramble that’s still argued about. The Olympics followed that same pattern of brilliance and frustration: silver in 2000 after another run-in with Saitiev, then a hard-earned fourth in 2004. Somewhere in between, Romero quietly knocked off three Olympic champions and five world champs, including multiple wins over Cael Sanderson and Les Gutches, building a legacy that didn’t need hype—just results.
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Yoel Romero Facts & Wiki
| Birth Date | 30-4-1977 |
| Heritage/origin | Cuban |
| Ethnicity | African |
| Religion – believes in God? | Christian |
| Residence | He lives together in a house in Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. |
Yoel Romero Net Worth, Salary
Yoel Romero has earned a net worth of $10 million in mixed martial arts and wrestling industry. He is currently competing in Light Heavyweight division for Bellator MMA. As a freestyle wrestler, Yoel was a five-time medalist at the World Championships including the Olympic Silver medal in year 2000.
| Estimated Net Worth | 10 million Dollar |
| Yearly Salary | N/A |
| Product Endorsements | Dioxyme |
| Colleagues | Paulo Costa, Phil Davis & Robert Whittaker |
| Management | Malki Kawa |
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Yoel Romero: Wife, Dating, Family & Friends
| Relationship status | Married |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Current Wife of Yoel Romero | Unknown |
| Ex-girlfriends or ex-wives | |
| Has any kids? | Yes, father of: Daughter & daughter |
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Family
He might have befriended Paulo Costa, Phil Davis & Robert Whittaker, but what about family? Names of father, mother, kids, brothers & sisters:
- Yoan Pablo Hernández (Brother)
Friends
- Jorge Masvidal
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Height, Weight, Body Measurements, Tattoos, Skin, Hair & Eye Color
| Hair color | Bald |
| Hairstyle | simple |
| Beard or Mustache | Beard, Circle Beard, |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Height | 183 cm |
| Weight | 93 kilo |
| Feet size | 9 |
| Does Yoel Romero smoke? | No, never |
| Does Yoel Romero have a tattoo? | Yes |
| Fitness, workout and diet | As a current active professional mixed martial artist, Yoel Romero follows a strict training and diet plan. He does a high volume of heavyweight in gym as well as eating clean and healthy. |
