TLDR
- Israel Adesanya called his UFC 248 fight with Yoel Romero one of the most boring in company history
- The March 2020 middleweight title defense featured 25 minutes of sparse action
- Adesanya says Romero landed a power shot early that made him see four opponents
- Both fighters stayed cautious after the early punch, leading to minimal engagement
- Adesanya made the comments while breaking down UFC 332 on his YouTube channel
Sources: yardbarker.com
Israel Adesanya has admitted his 2020 middleweight title defense against Yoel Romero ranks among the dullest fights in UFC history. The former champion made the comments during a recent YouTube breakdown of UFC 332.
The UFC 248 headliner in March 2020 produced 25 minutes of minimal action between the two fighters. Adesanya retained his belt via decision in a bout that drew widespread criticism from fans for its lack of engagement.
“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.
Israel Adesanya defends UFC event from "worst card in history" label, saying storylines are missing: "Everyone likes a storyline"👀
"There's no like storyline. 'Cause even though you guys want to clown WWE, you love a storyline. Everyone likes a storyline.”
“Court McGee as an… pic.twitter.com/ghYxvmPRMn
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) September 30, 2026
Early Power Shot Changed the Fight
Adesanya explained that both fighters adopted cautious approaches after Romero connected with a heavy punch early in the match. The shot left Adesanya temporarily disoriented and seeing multiple versions of his opponent.
“When he hit me with that zinger, I seen four in front of me, and I thought, ‘OK, he’s going to come in for the kill,'” Adesanya told viewers. “He just played the game and yeah, it was a boring fight.”
The champion said Romero’s dangerous reputation kept both men from taking risks. “But he’s a dangerous man. 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,” he explained.
Romero entered UFC 248 as a contender despite a mixed recent record. He remained viewed as a serious threat due to his explosive power and wrestling background.
Comments Made During UFC 332 Breakdown
Adesanya’s remarks came while reviewing UFC 332, which featured a vacant flyweight title fight between Natalia Silva and Wang Cong. That card also drew complaints from media members and fans about the quality of action.
The former champion argued the card lacked star power and compelling storylines rather than talented fighters. He said fight buildup through Embedded episodes and vlogs helps create fan investment in bouts.
Adesanya has previously defended his performance at UFC 248 by pointing to Romero’s style and approach. The fight remains one of the most criticized title defenses in recent UFC history.
The Gastelum fight Adesanya referenced took place at UFC 236 in April 2019. That interim title bout featured multiple knockdowns and back-and-forth action over five rounds before Adesanya won by decision.
Romero recently competed in bare-knuckle boxing, losing to Darren Till. The former UFC middleweight contender has not fought in the octagon since his loss to Adesanya in 2020.
