Sherdog’s Top 10: Successful Olympic Crossovers

9. Yoel Romero

Another Cuban émigré, Romero is a strong candidate for the best freestyle wrestler, or at least the most consistently successful on the international scene, to ever compete in MMA. The 1999 world champion also took silver medals at the 2002 and 2005 championships, bronzes in 1998 and 2001 and capped off his run with a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics, which was widely seen as a disappointment considering his freakish talent. A fourth-place finish at the 2004 Olympics was likewise underwhelming, largely because of a defeat at the hands of American Cael Sanderson, whom Romero had soundly beaten twice before.

Following his international wrestling career, Romero defected to Germany in 2007 and began his mixed martial arts career shortly thereafter. His combination of unreal wrestling talents and ridiculous physical tools has made him a formidable force in the cage, with a unique mixture of rhythm, pace and karate-style kicks melded with the boxing skills Romero picked up from his brother, fellow Cuban Olympian and current cruiserweight champion Yoan Pablo Hernandez.

Currently ranked sixth in the UFC’s middleweight division, Romero is in the midst of an undefeated run at 185 pounds, and a matchup with a top opponent is in the offing. Can Romero add UFC gold to his Olympic silver?

Number 8 » Sara McMann