Yoel Romero added another emphatic finish to his late-career run, stopping Alex Nicholson in the main event of Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA on Friday night in Miami.
Even at 49, Romero showed no signs of slowing down. After a brief exchange early, Nicholson found some success with a leg kick that momentarily disrupted the Cuban.
But once “Soldier of God” closed the distance, the momentum shifted quickly. He secured a takedown and followed up with a crushing left hand on the ground that broke Nicholson’s jaw, forcing a stoppage via strikes just over a minute into the fight.
The victory marked a bounce-back performance for Romero, who had dropped back-to-back appearances across other combat sports formats. Prior to that stretch, the former UFC middleweight title challenger had built momentum with wins in multiple disciplines following his departure from Bellator after its merger with PFL.
Originally scheduled to face Hector Lombard, Romero instead took on Nicholson after a late change to the card. The adjustment did little to alter the outcome, as Romero imposed his physicality and experience once the fight hit the mat.
The result continues a busy stretch for Romero, who has remained active across bareknuckle MMA, boxing-influenced formats, and wrestling-based events. Despite frequent rule-set changes, his ability to finish fights has remained consistent.