Saturday, June 9, 2018United Center, Chicago, United States
Robert Whittaker defeated Yoel Romero by Split Decision in round 5 (5:00) in the Middleweight main event of UFC 225: Whittaker vs Romero, held Saturday, June 9, 2018 at United Center, Chicago. The judges scored it 47-48, 48-47, 48-47, Robert Whittaker won the decision.
Robert Whittaker vs Yoel Romero
Fight stats: totals
Same scale left and right on every row; the pale tail behind a bar is attempts
Robert WhittakerYoel Romero
0
Knockdowns2
128 / 326
Significant strikes111 / 240
39%
Sig. strike accuracy46%
129 / 328
Total strikes149 / 287
0 / 1
Takedowns3 / 10
0%
Takedown accuracy30%
0:37
Control time4:21
Where it landed
Significant strikes landed by target in this fight
Robert WhittakerYoel Romero
5745%7668%
Head
2318%1917%
Body
4838%1614%
Leg
Where it happened
Where the landed significant strikes came from
Robert Whittaker
93%
Yoel Romero
59%23%18%
■ Distance■ Clinch■ Ground
Range × target
Significant strikes landed by range and target in this fight · landed / attempted in each cell
Robert Whittaker128 landed
Head
Body
Leg
Distance
5151/212
2020/35
4848/61
Clinch
66/12
33/4
00/1
Ground
00/1
0
0
Yoel Romero111 landed
Head
Body
Leg
Distance
3737/137
1313/21
1616/19
Clinch
2323/38
22/2
0
Ground
1616/19
44/4
0
Round by round
Significant strikes landed per round · the judges' scores under each
Robert WhittakerYoel Romero
R1
33
9
10-910-910-9
R2
29
20
10-910-910-9
R3
18
36
10-910-910-9
R4
34
20
10-910-910-9
R5
14
26
10-910-910-9
Bars share one scale across rounds. Each chip is one judge's score for the round, coloured by who they gave it to.
Round 1Judges: Robert Whittaker
0
Knockdowns0
33 / 85
Significant strikes9 / 24
39%
Sig. strike accuracy38%
33 / 85
Total strikes9 / 24
0 / 0
Takedowns0 / 0
0:00
Control time0:00
Round 2Judges: Robert Whittaker
0
Knockdowns0
29 / 77
Significant strikes20 / 48
38%
Sig. strike accuracy42%
29 / 77
Total strikes20 / 48
0 / 0
Takedowns0 / 1
0:00
Control time0:00
Round 3Judges: Yoel Romero
0
Knockdowns1
18 / 42
Significant strikes36 / 77
43%
Sig. strike accuracy47%
19 / 43
Total strikes54 / 97
0 / 0
Takedowns2 / 6
0:37
Control time2:11
Round 4Judges: Robert Whittaker
0
Knockdowns0
34 / 93
Significant strikes20 / 44
37%
Sig. strike accuracy45%
34 / 94
Total strikes20 / 44
0 / 0
Takedowns0 / 0
0:00
Control time0:00
Round 5Judges: Yoel Romero
0
Knockdowns1
14 / 29
Significant strikes26 / 47
48%
Sig. strike accuracy55%
14 / 29
Total strikes46 / 74
0 / 1
Takedowns1 / 3
0%
Takedown accuracy33%
0:00
Control time2:10
Judges' Scorecards
Media Scores
5
Robert Whittaker
8
Draw
15
Yoel Romero
●48-47 Romero×10●47-47 Draw×8●48-47 Whittaker×5●48-46 Romero×5
All 28 media scorecards
- MMABrasil.com.br48-47Whittaker
- MMAMania.com48-47Whittaker
- Steven Rondina · BleacherReport.com48-47Whittaker
- Ryan Frederick · WrestlingObserver.com48-47Whittaker
- Sean Ross Sapp · Fightful.com48-47Whittaker
- Nick Baldwin · BloodyElbow.com47-47Draw
- Mike Straus · MMAJA47-47Draw
- Alexander K. Lee · MMAFighting.com47-47Draw
- Dayne Fox · BloodyElbow.com47-47Draw
- Matthew Wells · FanSided.com47-47Draw
- Steve Duncan · mma.uno47-47Draw
- Wesley Riddle · MMASucka.com47-47Draw
- Drake Riggs · BJPenn.com47-47Draw
- Phil Murphy · ESPN48-47Romero
- Nolan King · MMA-Today.com48-47Romero
- John Pollock · POST Wrestling48-47Romero
- Stephie Haynes · BloodyElbow.com48-47Romero
- Tristen Critchfield · Sherdog.com48-47Romero
- Kendrick Johnson · The Ring48-47Romero
- Jim Edwards · MMALatestNews.com48-47Romero
- Paul Fontaine · WrestlingObserver.com48-47Romero
- José Youngs · FanSided.com48-47Romero
- Danny Segura · MMAFighting.com48-47Romero
- Ben Duffy · Sherdog.com48-46Romero
- Jed Meshew · MMAFighting.com48-46Romero
- Anton Tabuena · BloodyElbow.com48-46Romero
- Chris Nelson · Sherdog.com48-46Romero
- Tim Burke · BloodyElbow.com48-46Romero
Fan Scorecards
2,202 fan scorecards submitted
33%
Robert Whittaker
35%
Draw
32%
Yoel Romero
●47-47 Draw33.7%●48-47 Whittaker29%●48-47 Romero13.9%●48-46 Romero8.6%
Fans' round-by-round verdict
R1
96%
Whittaker
R2
98%
Whittaker
R3
81%
Romero
R4
72%
Whittaker
R5
49%
Romero
Betting Odds
Robert Whittaker
-232
70% implied win probability
Open: -184Best: -190
Yoel Romero
+191
34% implied win probability
Open: +153Best: +207
Average moneyline across 6 sportsbooks.
Line Movement
| Sportsbook | Robert Whittaker | Yoel Romero | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | -226 | +191 | |
| Bookmaker | -246 | +207 | |
| Bovada | -260 | +200 | |
| Pinnacle | -235 | +205 | |
| sports-interaction | -190 | +150 | |
| unibet | -250 | +195 |
Odds are for information only.
Build with this line: the same consensus odds, with opening and closing lines, are in the UFCalendar Fight API. Odds in the MMA Fight Data API
Insights
- Yoel Romero spends 96% of fight time at distance.
Style & credentials
Robert Whittaker
KarateHapkidoFreestyle WrestlingBJJ
- 2020Black belt · BJJAlex Prates
- 2017Champion · Australian National Wrestling Championships97 kg
- 2017Champion · Commonwealth Games Qualifier97 kg
- 2012Champion · Tufwelterweight
Yoel Romero
Freestyle Wrestling
- 2025Interim Light Heavyweight ChampionReal American Freestyle (RAF)
- 2007Champion · Grand Prix Germany
- 2005Silver · World Championships UWW84 kg freestyle
- 20044th Place · Olympics84 kg freestyle
Sig. strikes by zone
Where each fighter lands, as a share of significant strikes
72%59%
Head
10%19%
Body
18%23%
Leg
Time in position
Share of fight time at distance, in the clinch and on the ground
Robert Whittakerlast 7 fights
67%22%11%
Yoel Romerolast 1 fight
96%
■ Distance■ Clinch■ Ground
How good, really
Each stat against every UFC fighter, in plain words
Robert Whittaker Yoel Romero· from fights outside the UFC
Strikes landed / min
4.413.48
PoorBelow avgAverageGoodElite
Robert Whittaker · Good · better than 76% of UFC fightersYoel Romero · Average · better than 52% of UFC fighters
Strikes taken / minfewer is better
3.403.16
PoorBelow avgAverageGoodElite
Robert Whittaker · Average · better than 49% of UFC fightersYoel Romero · Average · better than 57% of UFC fighters
Takedowns landed / 15 min
0.711.43
PoorBelow avgAverageGoodElite
Robert Whittaker · Below avg · better than 31% of UFC fightersYoel Romero · Average · better than 56% of UFC fighters
Takedown accuracy
38%33%
PoorBelow avgAverageGoodElite
Robert Whittaker · Average · better than 51% of UFC fightersYoel Romero · Below avg · better than 36% of UFC fighters
Takedown defence
80%81%
PoorBelow avgAverageGoodElite
Robert Whittaker · Good · better than 83% of UFC fightersYoel Romero · Elite · better than 86% of UFC fighters
Submission attempts / 15 min
0.000.00
PoorBelow avgAverageGoodElite
Robert Whittaker · Poor · better than 0% of UFC fightersYoel Romero · Poor · better than 0% of UFC fighters
Ranked against 1499 UFC fighters with five or more UFC fights.
Striking & grappling
Same scale left and right on every row
4.41
Strikes landed / min3.48
3.40
Strikes taken / minfewer is better3.16
0.71 / 1.9
Takedowns landed / 15 min1.43 / 4.3
38%
Takedown accuracy33%
80%
Takedown defence81%
1:04
Control time / fight1:46
0.00
Submission attempts / 15 min0.00
Bars in a row share one scale. The stronger side is solid; the pale tail behind takedowns is attempts.
Where the strikes land
Range × target
Robert Whittaker25 UFC fights · 1489 landed
Head
Body
Leg
Distance
61%906/2588
8%122/213
17%260/305
Clinch
5%69/129
2%26/32
0%5/6
Ground
6%94/152
0%5/5
0%2/2
Yoel Romero13 UFC fights · 667 landed
Head
Body
Leg
Distance
39%263/768
13%86/146
21%138/181
Clinch
9%59/95
2%16/17
1%5/5
Ground
12%81/121
3%17/17
0%2/2
Share of significant strikes landed by range and target · landed / attempted in each cell.
When it ends
Every early finish of their careers, placed at the minute it ended
Robert Whittaker21 of 37 ended early · 57%16 went the distance
R1R2R3R4R5
8 early stoppages have no logged time
Yoel Romero14 of 23 ended early · 61%9 went the distance
R1R2R3R4R5
4 early stoppages have no logged time
finished the opponent got finished· placed at the minute the fight ended
Recent form · last 5
Robert Whittaker3-2
- W
- LUFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs De Ridder · Jul 26, 2025Split Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- L
- W
- WUFC 298: Volkanovski vs Topuria · Feb 17, 2024Unanimous Decision · R3 · 5:00 · Middleweight
Full record · 37 fightsShow less
- L
- WUFC Fight Night: Gane vs Tuivasa · Sep 3, 2022Unanimous Decision · R3 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- LUFC 271: Adesanya vs Whittaker 2 · Feb 12, 2022Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- WUFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Gastelum · Apr 17, 2021Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- WUFC 254: Khabib vs Gaethje · Oct 24, 2020Unanimous Decision · R3 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- WUFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Till · Jul 26, 2020Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- L
- W
- WUFC 213: Romero vs Whittaker · Jul 8, 2017Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Interim Middleweight
- W
- W
- WUFC 197: Jones vs Saint Preux · Apr 23, 2016Unanimous Decision · R3 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- W
- W
- W
- WUFC Fight Night: Te Huna vs Marquardt · Jun 28, 2014Unanimous Decision · R3 · 5:00 · Welterweight
- L
- LUFC Fight Night: Condit vs Kampmann 2 · Aug 28, 2013Split Decision · R3 · 5:00 · Welterweight
- W
- WUFC on FX: Sotiropoulos vs. Pearson · Dec 16, 2012Unanimous Decision · R3 · 5:00 · Ultimate Fighter Australia vs. UK Welterweight
- W
- L
- WShaun SpoonerSFA 13 · Mar 23, 2012TKO · R1 · 4:01 · Welterweight
- WIan BoneCage Fighting Championship · Dec 9, 2011TKO
- LHoon KimLegend FC 6 · Oct 30, 2011Submission · R1 · 3:01 · Welterweight
- WCorey NelsonCage Fighting Championship · Aug 26, 2011Submission
- W
- WNate ThomsonCage Fighting Championship · Oct 8, 2010Submission
- WJay CobainCage Fighting Championship · Jun 5, 2010Submission
- WNick ArielCage Fighting Championship · Mar 12, 2010TKO
- W
- WChris TallowinXtreme Fighting Championships · Mar 14, 2009TKO
Yoel Romero3-2
- WPFL Super Fights - PFL vs. Bellator Champs · Feb 23, 2024Unanimous Decision · R3 · 5:00 · Light Heavyweight
- LBellator 297: Nemkov vs. Romero · Jun 16, 2023Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Light Heavyweight
- W
- W
- L
Full record · 23 fightsShow less
- LUFC 248: Adesanya vs Romero · Mar 7, 2020Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- L
- L
- W
- LUFC 213: Romero vs Whittaker · Jul 8, 2017Unanimous Decision · R5 · 5:00 · Interim Middleweight
- W
- W
- W
- W
- WUFC on FOX: Werdum vs Browne · Apr 19, 2014Unanimous Decision · R3 · 5:00 · Middleweight
- W
- W
- W
- LStrikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov · Sep 10, 2011TKO · R2 · 4:51 · Light Heavyweight
- WLaszlo EckGermany Regional · May 27, 2011TKO
- WŅikita PetrovsSuperior FC · Mar 5, 2011TKO
- W
- WSascha WeinpolterGermany Regional · Dec 20, 2009TKO
Frequently asked questions
Who won Robert Whittaker vs Yoel Romero?
Robert Whittaker defeated Yoel Romero by Split Decision in round 5 (5:00) in the Middleweight main event of UFC 225: Whittaker vs Romero, held Saturday, June 9, 2018 at United Center, Chicago. The judges scored it 47-48, 48-47, 48-47, Robert Whittaker won the decision.
What were the judges' scorecards for Robert Whittaker vs Yoel Romero?
The judges scored it 47-48, 48-47, 48-47, Robert Whittaker won the decision.
Was Robert Whittaker vs Yoel Romero a robbery?
Public scoring backed the judges: 33% of 2202 fan cards scored it for Robert Whittaker; 75% of 20 media scores picked Yoel Romero.