On March 10, BJPenn.com’s Chris Taylor reported that UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker and top contender Yoel Romero will rematch at UFC 225 on June 9 in Chicago, Illinois.
Breaking! Per sources Yoel Romero vs Robert Whittaker 2 is a done deal for #UFC225. The title fight rematch is expected to serve as the main event in Chicago!
— Chris Taylor (@CTaylor_96) March 9, 2018
On Monday’s edition of the JRE MMA Show with Octagon commentator Joe Rogan, Romero confirmed this news.
Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero first fought in July of 2017, in the main event of UFC 213. On that night, Robert Whittaker won a close fight with a unanimous decision, capturing the UFC interim middleweight title a a result.
Shortly thereafter, undisputed middleweight champion Michael Bisping surrendered his title to Georges St-Pierre, who then vacated the title. It was it this point that Whittaker was promoted to undisputed champion.
Though Whittaker was briefly expected to defend his title opposite Luke Rockhold at UFC 221, he was forced out of this fight with health troubles, and replaced by Romero. After missing weight for the bout, Romero won this fight with Rockhold by third-round knockout.
Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero have perhaps the most impressive records in the UFC middleweight division. Since joining the division in 2014, Whittaker has gone 7-0, defeating Clint Hester, Brad Tavares, Uriah Hall, Rafael Natal, Derek Brunson, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, and Romero. Romero, meanwhile, has lost just once in the UFC middleweight division – to Whittaker. Since joining the division, he’s defeated Clifford Starks, Ronny Markes, Derek Brunson, Brad Tavares, Tim Kennedy, Lyoto Machida, Jacare Souza, Chris Weidman and Rockhold.
The UFC 225 card will also feature a heavyweight tilt between Alistair Overeem and Curtis Blaydes, as first reported by BJPenn.com’s Tom Taylor.
Other features of the card announced so far include a flyweight bout between former title challenger Joseph Benavidez and Sergio Pettis, a strawweight bout between former champion Carla Esparza, and former title challenger Claudia Gadelha, and a light heavyweight bout between former champ Rashad Evans and Anthony Smith. The card is also expected to feature the return of CM Punk.
Who do you think wins Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero’s UFC 225 rematch?
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 3/13/2018.