Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight Alexander Romanov made a real statement in his most recent appearance, as he rebounded from back-to-back defeats to Marcin Tybura and Alexander Volkov with a three-round unanimous decision over Blagoy Ivanov. Time may soon tell whether or not he truly righted the ship.
Romanov broke into the UFC with an 11-0 record and proceeded to collect five straight victories before the aforementioned losses to Tybura and Volkov. At 33, he still finds himself to accomplish whatever goals he set for himself at the start of his journey through combat sports. Romanov will next face Jailton Almeida in a UFC 302 heavyweight showcase on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Neither man can afford to budge.
As Romanov makes final preparations for his looming battle against the impressive Brazilian, here are fiving things you might not know about him:
1. A formidable wrestling background anchors his skills.
Romanov started training in freestyle wrestling at the tender age of 7. “King Kong” has represented the Moldovan national team four times at the World Wrestling Championships, twice as a senior and twice as a junior. He also was part of eight national teams for the European Championships. In 2016, he bagged the bronze medal at the World University Championships and placed 12th at the 2020 European Wrestling Championships. Additionally, he is also a two-time United World Wrestling grappling European bronze medalist.
2. There are brains behind the brawn.
The 33-year-old Romanov revealed in an interview with UFC.com that he studied at the law faculty of Comrat State University. He also mentioned attending the pedagogical faculty of Chisinau Sport Institute (USEFS), although the exact details of his coursework and tenure remain unclear.
3. Family motivates him.
Romanov was born to a Russian father and a Ukrainian mother on Dec. 11, 1990, in Comrat, Moldavia, in what was then the Soviet Union. He often posts pictures with his wife Anna Romanov and their three kids. The UFC heavyweight standout has made sure that the values of martial arts discipline are instilled in his kids from a very young age. Oldest son Alexandr Jr. recently participated in his first muay thai tournament. Romanov took to Instagram to share the proud moment and captioned the post: “April 20, 2024 Severna Perk Community Center hosted MDL muay thai tournament. For me, this tournament is especially interesting, because it was here that my oldest son Alexandr Jr. Romanov held his debut duel. Truly proud of my son!!! This tournament is especially interesting for me, because it was here that my eldest son Alexandr Jr. had his debut match. Romanov. I am truly proud of my son!!! Appreciate his coaches.”
4. He understands the weight of being a champion.
Romanov predominantly competed under the Eagles Fighting Championship banner before signing with the UFC. Having amassed a 5-0 record in the organization, he was handed the opportunity to fight for the heavyweight title at EFC 8 against Alexander Stolyarov. It took “King Kong” merely 36 seconds to demolish his foe, registering a TKO win in the first frame and seizing the heavyweight throne in the process.
5. His first loss led to a reinvention.
Romanov redefined his approach following the majority decision loss to Tybura at UFC 278. He smoothed out the rough edges by eliminating distractions. He also surrounded himself with a new team thanks to a stroke of good fortune. Following the aforementioned loss, his head coach relocated to Russia, prompting Romanov to revamp his training regime and seek a new team. He also had to filter out fair-weather supporters and screen for real comrades who would stick by his side through thick and thin. “It just happened by chance. It all kind of fell into place,” he said in an interview with UFC.com. “My coach decided to go to Russia and coach there, so I didn’t lose myself. I quickly regrouped and found a new coach, a really big specialist, somebody who completely and totally changed my approach to training, somebody who made me stronger in my punching and my striking [and] somebody who improved me in a lot of areas I was lacking in.”
Order Now! UFC 302 “Makhachev vs. Poirier” Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+