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The 46-year-old Cuban MMA athlete, Yoel Romero has denied rumours of retiring at Bellator 297, while confirming that he plans to fight in his 50s. On June 16, Friday, he is scheduled to take on the Russian Vadim Nemkov in the main event at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago for the Bellator Light Heavyweight Championship.
It is well-known that most fighters are past their primes or retired in MMA after reaching the age of 46 or more. That’s why, for Romero to come out and say that he still has a lot left in the tank as a combat sports athlete, speaks volumes of his hard work and dedication for MMA behind the scenes.
When asked about walking away from the sport after Bellator 297, the Cuban was quoted as saying to MMA Junkie, “No chance, no chance at all. That doesn’t even go through my mind. I’ve got five more years in this sport. That’s what I think of. I plan on fighting until I’m 52. That’s my focus.”
The MMA website reported that Yoel Romero, in the past, had mentioned to them that he wants to retire from the sport at the age of 52, just like Bernand Hopkins in boxing.
The Cuban also talked about wanting to win the championship belt at Bellator for himself and his team. He was quoted as saying, “I think it would be something very satisfactory for my team, for me, being able to win a championship belt. It always is satisfactory to be able to take a belt home, knowing that you worked hard.”
“Also, knowing the persistence, the dedication to training was well worth it. It also lets you know that if the work that you did led to you winning, then that’s the path that you need to continue on. You need to stay on that path and keep working. That’s what it would mean,” added Yoel Romero.
