Yoel Romero will get another crack at claiming UFC gold.
Romero is set to challenge Israel Adesanya for his middleweight title in the main event of UFC 248.
Adesanya (18-0) has reeled off wins over the likes of Robert Whittaker, Kelvin Gastelum and former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva to secure his spot atop the division. The 30-year-old was expected to meet Paulo Costa, but an injury will keep Costa from challenging him.
BREAKING: Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) vs. Yoel Romero (@YoelRomeroMMA) will headline UFC 248 in Las Vegas per Dana White. Adesanya was itching to fight. Big one in the desert on March 7. pic.twitter.com/pnx6M5aNoW
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) January 17, 2020
Romero, who has won nine of 12 Octagon bouts, was unable to win the interim title when he faces Whittaker. A planned second meeting with the then-champion was turned into a non-title fight when the Olympic wrestler missed weight.
The two have used social media to let it be known they wanted to face each other as soon as possible.
Look at me…
I’m the people’s CHAMP now! https://t.co/yX1DYnMuo0— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) November 22, 2019
@danawhite I call bs. This fight will sell all day and all night long. Everyone wants to see Izzy. Yoel is a beast too. It doesn’t hurt that Yoel represents @AmericanTopTeam @FirstRoundMgmt along with them other killers. #ufcfanswantthis
— Gaby Ponce, Jr. (@gabyponcejr23) November 12, 2019
The card, set for March 7 from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will also include Weili Zhang defending her strawweight belt against former champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk.
UFC 248 Fight Card
UFC Middleweight Championship
Israel Adesanya (c) vs. Yoel Romero
UFC Strawweight Championship
Weili Zhang (c) vs. Joanna Jedrzejczyk
Middleweight: Jared Cannonier vs. TBD
Welterweight: Alex Oliveira vs. Max Griffin
Middleweight: Rodolfo Vieira vs. Saparbek Safarov
Welterweight: Neil Magny vs. Li Jingliang
Strawweight: Emily Whitmire vs. Polyana Viana
Bantamweight: Danaa Batgerel vs. Guido Cannetti
Lightweight: Beneil Dariush vs. Drakkar Klose
Bantamweight: Sean O’Malley vs. Jose Alberto Quinonez
Lightweight: Mark Makdsen vs. Austin Hubbard
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