Chris Weidman vs. Yoel Romero Official for UFC 205 in New York

Tristen CritchfieldSep 27, 2016


Another long-rumored bout is official for UFC 205 (live odds), as Chris Weidman will square off with Yoel Romero in a pivotal middleweight matchup.

UFC President Dana White announced the bout on the "Boomer & Carton Show" on Wednesday. UFC 205 takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Nov. 12 and is headlined by a lightweight championship tilt pitting Eddie Alvarez against Conor McGregor.

Weidman hasn’t competed since losing the 185-pound strap to Luke Rockhold via fourth-round technical knockout at UFC 194, his first defeat in 14 professional bouts. He was booked to face Rockhold in a rematch at UFC 199, but had to withdraw in order to undergo surgery for a herniated disc in his neck. The 32-year-old hails from Baldwin, N.Y., and is anchored at the Empire State’s Serra-Longo Fight Team.

Romero enters the matchup having won seven fight in a row, the longest active winning streak in the middleweight division. After taking a narrow split-decision over Ronaldo Souza at UFC 194, “Soldier of God” was flagged for a potential anti-doping violation. It was later determined that Romero’s positive test for the growth hormone secretagogue Ibutamoren came as a result of a tainted dietary supplement, and the Cuban accepted a six-month suspension which ended on July 12.