Israel Adesanya Reflects on 'Boring' UFC 248 Fight Against Yoel Romero

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya recently revisited his widely criticized 2020 title defense against Yoel Romero at UFC 248. Speaking on a recent YouTube breakdown following Romero's bare-knuckle boxing loss to Darren Till, Adesanya admitted that the 25-minute championship bout lacked action and failed to deliver the entertainment fans expected.

Adesanya contrasted the Romero matchup with his acclaimed clash against Kelvin Gastelum, which earned a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame. "I had one of the most exciting fights in the history of the planet [Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum] that’s inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, but I also had one of the most boring fights in the history of the company alongside Yoel Romero," Adesanya said.

The former champion took responsibility for the lack of action while acknowledging the immense threat Romero posed during the contest. Recalling a heavy punch absorbed during the fight, Adesanya said, "We’re both dangerous men, when he hit me with that zinger, I seen four in front of me." He added: "He just played the game and yeah, it was a boring fight. There’s a reason he didn’t want to come close and there’s a reason I didn’t want to risk again getting hit by that zinger, so yeah, shout out to him."

Adesanya also shared his thoughts on card reception and promotion, noting that fan engagement often hinges on narratives rather than just fight quality. He highlighted the importance of lead-ups, Embedded episodes, Countdowns, and fighter vlogs, stating that audiences naturally gravitate toward compelling storylines.