Athletes
Alexandr Romanov Leads Next Generation of Heavyweights
Romanov Tries To Extend His Unbeaten Record Against Marcin Tybura at UFC 278: Usman vs Edwards 2 in Salt Lake City
In the last couple years, the UFC heavyweight division has seen an evolution in the athleticism and skills that its athletes are developing.
Leaner, faster and more diverse in what they’re capable of doing inside the Octagon, athletes like Ciryl Gane and Tom Aspinall have found success in recent years utilizing speed rather than sheer power or size to have an advantage over their opponents.
Order UFC 278: Usman vs Edwards 2 | Prelims Air Live On ABC & ESPN!
The next fighter in line to follow in their footsteps is Alexandr Romanov, an undefeated Moldovan wrestler who’s been on the winning end of five rather one-sided bouts since coming to the UFC in 2020.
Earning three submissions and one TKO in that span, Romanov is difficult for any opponent to handle, anywhere the fight goes. And being so well-versed in martial arts is something that “King Kong” attributes to his success. Rather than specializing in one specific set of skills, why not try to be the best all-around fighter to compete with every discipline?
“I think that I’m the next generation heavyweight in UFC because I focus on all my skills,” Romanov said. “A lot of guys focus on just striking or just grappling, but I will be a new generation that can use both.”
The 16-0 heavyweight standout also pays close attention to the fine, physical details leading up to his bouts, putting emphasis on finding the optimal weight to make him faster than his opponents.
UFC 278 EMBEDDED: Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4
“Our main objective is to be in great shape, to have very good cardio,” Romanov said. “When I lose a lot of weight, I feel that my speed and my cardio become much better.”
Romanov weighed in 30 pounds under the heavyweight division’s limit of 265 pounds in his latest bout against Chase Sherman, but a blistering fast takedown less than 20 seconds into the fight proved that the weight discrepancy didn’t have a negative effect on his strength.
“Inside of the cage, I can put big pressure on my opponent,” Romanov said regarding his physicality inside the Octagon. “This pressure can destroy them mentally and physically.”
Alexandr Romanov Locks Up First-Round Americana | UFC Fight Night: Font vs Vera
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there’s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world’s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Alexandr Romanov Locks Up First-Round Americana | UFC Fight Night: Font vs Vera
/
Romanov held Sherman down for as long as the fight lasted, albeit only a little over two minutes, landing vicious ground-and-pound until an Americana submission presented itself. Earning a victory in that style and extending your win streak to five in the UFC immediately earns you a fight against a ranked opponent.
A few days later, Romanov received the number 13 next to his name in the divisional rankings and was ultimately scheduled to fight Top 15 foe Marcin Tybura to kick off the main card of UFC 278: Usman vs Edwards 2 in Salt Lake City.
RELATED: Elite MMA Coaches Break Down Usman vs Edwards 2
Coming off an October 2021 loss to Alexander Volkov, Tybura did find success against Walt Harris in his last win in June of 2021, weathering an early onslaught and turning the tide by landing crisp, damaging strikes that were able to put Harris away late in round one. This poses an interesting matchup for Romanov, who likes to get out on the front foot. But regardless of what he sees on Saturday, Romanov believes that it doesn’t matter where the fight goes, because he will have an overwhelming advantage.
“I’ve become better and better [everywhere],” Romanov said. “Everyone respects my skills, my grappling and my wrestling, and I’m ready to fight with him in the standup and on the ground. For me, that doesn’t matter. I am ready 100 percent.”
“I have respect for Tybura because he is a very good warrior. But when the cage door is closed, I need to make everything to win, and he must be ready for this.”
“This is just my next fight to become closer to the Top 10. I think on Saturday I will show that I’m ready to compete with [those] guys.”
MORE UFC 278: Reasons To Watch | How To Watch In Your Country | Public Events Schedule
Without looking past his current opponent, Romanov envisions future matchups with Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Tai Tuivasa. For someone who, only five fights into his UFC career, is confident he can compete with the toughest guys in the division, you might think that there’s arrogance to go along with that. However, “King Kong” is quite humble in his preparation, respecting his opponents throughout the lead-up to the fight.
Referring to himself as a lazy dinosaur on UFC 278 Embedded: Episode 2, it may be misleading that someone can be so dominant and have such conviction that he can be one of the best fighters in the world. But that confidence stems from how hard he works in training to earn the results that he knows he deserves.
“Outside of the Octagon, when we’re face-to-face, I remain calm, I smile, but in the Octagon, they feel that it’s another person,” Romanov said. “In the Octagon, I come to win and I’m ready to make everything for this.”
UFC 278: Usman vs Edwards 2 took place live from the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 20, 2022. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses- and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
