Yoel Romero’s fighting career isn’t over just yet – and several MMA fans aren’t happy.
After a spell with UFC and Bellator MMA, the 47-year-old is now signed to the Global Fight League (GFL), with his debut coming very soon.
Romero will make his debut against fellow ex-UFC star Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua, who famously lost his light-heavyweight title to a 23-year-old Jon Jones in 2011.
The pair’s bout is the second official dust-up that is set to take place in the GFL after the promotion also confirmed a rematch between MMA legends Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold ten years in the making.
The double announcement sparked a lot reaction online, as several MMA fans expressed their frustration at the promotion making use of old fighters.
One took to X in response to their official announcement and said: “Is there anyone under 50 on this card?”
Another added: “You guys should be put in jail for this.”
While a third replied: “Is the venue a retirement home?”
One fan also referred to the new MMA promotion as the ‘Grandpa Fighting League’, while another stated GLF was ‘killing off legends’.
GFL is expect launch in April 2025 with a team-based concept after securing funding from tech investors in Silicon Valley.
The brand-new promotion will feature six teams across four continents, with venues booked in ten cities worldwide.
Each team will consist of 20 fighters across ten weight classes, a unique feature of the GFL, as all bouts will reportedly operate under a catchweight system.
Romero is a former UFC middleweight title challenger, having gone on an eight-fight win streak in Dana White‘s promotion, before a changing of the guard in the 185-pounds division.
In his last three UFC bouts, Romero suffered consecutive defeats to Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa and Israel Adesanya.
The unanimous decision defeat to Adesanya at UFC 248 in March 2020 was Romero’s last shot at UFC gold, and ultimately marked the end of his time in the promotion.
‘Soldier of God’ then signed for Bellator MMA, winning two of his subsequent four bouts, before taking part in a PFL Super Fight in February 2024, which marked his last octagon appearance to date.
Brazilian veteran Rua called quits on his MMA career back in January 2023 after falling to a first-round knockout defeat to Ukraine’s Ihor Portieria.
Like Romero, he also lost his last three UFC fights, suffering defeats to Ovince Saint Preux and Paul Craig.
Former UFC featherweight Mike Grundy, 37, who is part of the London team roster in the newly formed league, spoke to talkSPORT MMA about how the promotion was pitched to him.
“It was a bit of a surprise to be honest to me because obviously I’d retired from fighting,” Grundy said.
Grundy made his UFC debut in 2019, winning just one of his four fights in the promotion, before leaving three years later.
He remarked: “I was done after I’d finished in the UFC and I didn’t manage to get into a couple of organisations I wanted to get into.
“I didn’t retire because I was old or anything. I didn’t retire because I felt I’d finished in my body. It was just due to not the correct pay and stuff.
“I seen somebody who I knew had been signed to them and I said, ‘What’s the deal?’
“Then this guy got in touch and he said, ‘I can get you in and we’d love to have you on.’
“I went from there and I obviously asked what they’re offering. The deals that they’re offering are unbelievable.
“Really, really good with the 50 per cent pay and the retirement fund and obviously the wage they’re paying and stuff just to show.
“So money wise it’s very good, but also it’s exciting to be a part of something new and something that’s – it’s the first time it’s happening – this format’s different.
“I’m excited to be a part of a start of something you know. It’s got a little bit of fire in my belly really.”
GFL will introduce a new scoring system as fighters are awarded four points for a finish win, three points for a decision win, two points for a draw, one point for a decision loss and zero points for a finish loss.
UFC legend and future Hall of Famer Tony Ferguson has also signed with the new promotion, as well as ex-UFC champion Tyron Woodley.
