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Ultimate Fighting Championship
Martial ArtsMixed Martial Arts

UFC 248: Israel Adesanya blasts ‘stupid’ Yoel Romero after ugly decision win – ‘it takes two to tango’

  • Adesanya says ‘I did what I needed to do’ after getting unanimous decision to retain middleweight title in dull scrap
  • ‘The Last Stylebender’ frustrated that ‘my dance partner didn’t want to dance’ amid chorus of boos in Las Vegas

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Israel Adesanya is escorted out of the Octagon after a decision win over Yoel Romero at UFC 248. Photo: AFP
Mathew Scott

Israel “The Last Stylebender” Adesanya met Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero at the T-Mobile Arena on Saturday night. But someone seems to have forgotten to tell the pair that they were supposed to be here for a fight.

There were ducks and weaves and waves. There were tongue pokes and sniggers. But there was precious little else. By the start of the fourth, the pair were given a stern talking to by the referee but it made little difference until Romero landed one in the last, and then they argued as the final bell sounded.

The judges gave the fight to Adesanya but it must have been hard to find a way to award each of the rounds.

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“It was a hard fight but I did what I have to do,” Adesanya said in the cage afterwards. “He touched me in the first round so I did what I had to do and I picked him apart, I did what I had to do to win that fight.”

Yoel Romero taunts Israel Adesanya. Photo: USA TODAY Sports
Yoel Romero taunts Israel Adesanya. Photo: USA TODAY Sports
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A shot from Romero late in the first looked to have damaged the Kiwi’s left eye – with a hint there was thumb involved – but he blinked whatever damage there was away quick enough. It was about the only shot fired in anger and the crowd started baying for blood. Or anything, really.

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