Romero gets back on track with brutal TKO at Bellator 280

Yoel Romero returned to the win column in his second Bellator appearance.

The former UFC contender defeated Alex Polizzi via TKO at the 4:59 mark of the third round in the Bellator 280 co-main event on Friday in Paris.

Romero dominated Polizzi throughout the three-round, light heavyweight affair, pummeling the short-notice replacement with shots from afar and dropping him multiple times.

After the fight, Bellator announced Romero will face Melvin Manhoef at the Sept. 23 event in Dublin. That bout was initially set for Friday, but Manhoef withdrew due to an injury.

This was Romero's first victory since 2018 when he knocked out Luke Rockhold in a UFC middleweight contest. He was riding a four-fight losing streak.

"The Soldier of God" signed with Bellator in late 2020 following a seven-year run with the UFC. He dropped a decision to Phil Davis in his September 2021 debut.