Yoel Romero has received a new opponent for Bellator 280 following the recent withdrawal of Melvin Manhoef.

While he may now be entering his mid-40s, Yoel Romero is still one of the most feared fighters out there – largely due to the reputation he’s been building throughout the course of his time in mixed martial arts.

The veteran was scheduled to return to action on Friday in Paris as part of Bellator’s return to France. While he’ll still be on the card, he won’t be taking on Melvin Manhoef as a result of injuries sustained from apprehending a group of burglars, as per Redactie Telesport.

Instead, as reported by MMA Junkie, he’ll be going head to head with Alex Polizzi on short notice.

Yoel Romero gets a new opponent for #Bellator280 after Melvin Manhoef's withdrawal. He will now face Alex Polizzi in the co-main event.

Full story: https://t.co/iRZ4dcTPVn pic.twitter.com/6E3O69fdyj

— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 30, 2022

Polizzi currently sits at 10-1 in his pro career with a three-fight win streak to his name. The 30-year-old last fought in March where he secured a submission win, giving him some real momentum heading into such a blockbuster clash.

Romero has struggled to get his Bellator run off to the kind of start he would have desired but with someone as explosive as he is, you can never truly count him out.

Will Yoel Romero be able to overcome Alex Polizzi in their Paris showdown?