Robert Whittaker knew he was going home the champion no matter what, thanks to his opponent, Yoel Romero, missing weight. However, that didn’t stop the Middleweight Champion from putting all he had into the match, and it paid off.
Whittaker and Romero fought in the main event of UFC 225.
A touch of gloves opened up the main event. Whittaker attacked the front leg immediately with some side kicks. Romero was unfazed.
😳 😳 😳@RobWhittakerMMA #UFC225 pic.twitter.com/jSXEHOcFzG
— UFC (@ufc) June 10, 2018
The Reaper kept his hands low and continued to target the legs. Yoel kept his hands up high, not throwing a strike until almost two minutes went by. After that, he continued to keep his hands up as Whittaker went for punch after punch and targetted the legs.
Yoel then went for a huge spinning back fist, but completely missed. He then went for a second one right before the round ended.
Romero came in with a slick leg kick off the back leg in Round 2. The Reaper came in with a huge right, but didn’t cause any damage.
Yoel came in with a combination of punches and kicks. Whittaker kept his hands low, keeping the pressure on Romero and targeting the front leg.
Romero’s right eye began to swell up, perhaps from a jab. The champion landed a nice right high kick.
Yoel struggled for a takedown, but couldn’t get anything. His mouth hung open, and there was not question that he couldn’t see out of his right eye.
Round 3 and Yoel’s eye looked better. Both men came in swinging for the fences. Yoel knocked Whittaker down with a punch, but The Reaper got back up. Still, he was forced to run away.
The fight went to the ground, but the two went back to their feet. Romero landed an uppercut, but Robert landed an elbow.
The match slowed as Romero pressed the champion up against the cage. Whittaker bled from his nose and Romero went for a takedown.
Yoel kept the pressure coming as Whittaker countered, looking like he was trying to stay alive. Robert had to run away again to survive, but he landed a head kick. Still, Romero wasn’t stopping. He took Whittaker’s back and wrestled him to the ground, but he got right back up. Robert ended the round pressing Yoel up against the cage.
Things slowed down in the fourth. Whittaker came in with a one-two. His hands hung by his side.
OH MY.
(via @ufc)pic.twitter.com/O5exOvz1od
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 10, 2018
Romero went for a spinning back first, but Robert stopped him with a kick.
Whittaker threw kick after kick at the leg and mid-section of Yoel Romero. Unfortunately, one of those kicks landed in Romero’s crotch, forcing an intermission.
Yoel opted not to take the full five minutes he could have taken, and the match started up again. Whittaker’s right hand may have been broken, as he rarely threw it. Instead he opted for left punches and right kicks.
Romero came in with a Superman punch, but Whittaker kept coming at him. Romero landed a big right in the final seconds of the round.
Fifth and final round, and both fighters seemed to know it was anyone’s match. Romero came in with a spinning back kick and then a spinning back first.
Whittaker then hit him with a jab to the face.
Yoel kept coming at the Champion and Whittaker tried to keep him at bay with side kicks.
Romero took Whittaker down, though, and rained down some punches. Whittaker, however, got to his knees and tried for a single. He worked his way up, but Romero wrestled him down.
Robert worked his way up, but Yoel landed some huge shots and then kicked the champion’s legs from under him. From there, Romero took the back, holding Whittaker down.
Robert made his way up to his feet, but once again he went down. Romero, however, opted to do nothing but hold on, forcing the referee to break the two up.
Yoel went for a spinning back fist, but Whittaker kicked him down seconds before the fight came to an end.
It could have been anyone’s match, but Whittaker did enough to impress two of the three judges and earn another “W” next to his name.
