Yoel Romero scored a third round knockout win over former UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold in the main event of UFC 221.
Malki Kawa is Romero’s manager and he claims the fighter almost pulled out of the event due to the effects of weight cutting.
“He almost pulled out of the fight,” Kawa said on MMA Junkie Radio. “The man rehydrated, went to sleep the next morning, and still he wasn’t feeling the best. He even told me, ‘I’m not 100 percent.’ He could have fooled me.”
Romero did miss weight for the fight and despite winning the bout, was unable to claim the UFC Interim Middleweight Title.
Kawa says Romero would like to return to action at UFC 225, but it would depend on the health of UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker.
“I’m thinking that (UFC 225) might be the card, only because his leg is just a deep shin bruise, and he’ll be off of it for this week and maybe next week,” Kawa said. “I think it’s enough time. The thing is Whittaker; his health is the one in question right now. The poor guy had staph and then he got the chicken pox, so if he’s healthy and able to have a full training camp. I’m going to figure that out today.”
Whittaker was originally supposed to fight at UFC 221 against Rockhold, but pulled out of the bout due to a plethora of health problems.
