UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 Full Fight Card, Date & Details
UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2
United States
Main Card • Final
Australia
R5, 5:00
Fight of the Night
Cuba
R5, 5:00
Interim Title Fight
Brazil
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
Prelims • Final
R3, 2:56
Performance of the Night
Netherlands
R3, 5:00
R3, 5:00
R2, 3:53
Early Prelims • Final
R1, 0:53
R3, 5:00
R1, 2:18
Performance of the Night
R1, 0:50
Official Event Results
$100k FOTN
Interim Title
Official Post-Fight Bonus Awards
$50,000 Post-Fight Bonus Recipients
Fight of the Night: Robert Whittaker earned $100,000 for his five-round war against Yoel Romero. Romero missed weight (185.2 lbs) and was ineligible for bonuses, so Whittaker received the full $100,000 award.
Performance of the Night: Curtis Blaydes collected $50,000 for his vicious third-round elbow finish against former title challenger Alistair Overeem.
Performance of the Night: Charles Oliveira secured $50,000 for tying Royce Gracie’s all-time submission record with a first-round guillotine choke against Clay Guida.
Reported Payouts & Disclosed Purses
Fighter Purses & Total Payout Estimates
| Fighter | Result | Base Purse | Win / Finish Bonus | Performance Bonus | Estimated Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WIN | — | — | $100,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| NC | — | — | — | — | |
| NC | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | $50,000 | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — | |
| WIN | — | — | — | — | |
| LOSS | — | — | — | — |
*Official contracted base purses were not publicly disclosed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Yoel Romero weighed in at 185.2 lbs (0.2 lbs over the title limit) and forfeited 30% of his purse to Robert Whittaker, rendering him ineligible for post-fight bonuses. Whittaker was awarded the full $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus.
Historic UFC Records Set
Promotional Records Established at UFC 225
Charles Oliveira submitted Clay Guida via first-round guillotine choke in 2:18, earning his 10th career UFC submission and tying UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie for the most submission victories in promotional history at the time.
Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero’s five-round middleweight classic was voted the consensus 2018 Fight of the Year by the World MMA Awards, ESPN, and Sherdog, featuring 239 combined significant strikes.
Because Yoel Romero missed weight and was rendered ineligible for post-fight performance bonuses, Robert Whittaker was awarded both shares ($100,000 total) of the Fight of the Night bonus.
Colby Covington landed 7 takedowns and 99 significant strikes against former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos to win the interim UFC Welterweight Championship.
Curtis Blaydes secured his fourth consecutive UFC heavyweight victory by finishing legendary former title challenger Alistair Overeem with brutal elbows in Round 3 to claim Performance of the Night.
Australia’s Tai Tuivasa preserved his perfect professional mixed martial arts record (10-0) by knocking down and out-pointing former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski via unanimous decision.
Anthony Smith made a thunderous debut in the UFC light heavyweight division, knocking out former 205-pound champion Rashad Evans in just 53 seconds with a devastating head knee.
Future perennial featherweight contender Dan Ige captured his first official Octagon victory in blistering fashion, knocking out Mike Santiago with punches in only 50 seconds of Round 1.
Sergio Pettis edged perennial top-ranked contender Joseph Benavidez via split decision, snapping Benavidez’s six-fight winning streak and handing him his first non-title-fight defeat in over seven years.
UFC 225 welcomed 18,117 fans inside Chicago’s United Center, generating a massive live gate of $2,550,000 to stand as one of the largest combat sports events in Illinois state history.
Former bantamweight queen Holly Holm put on a clinic in the women’s featherweight division, out-striking promotional debutante Megan Anderson 143 to 48 in total strikes across three dominant rounds.
Cláudia Gadelha landed four takedowns to claim a split-decision victory over inaugural strawweight champion Carla Esparza, cementing her top-three promotional ranking.
When and where did UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 take place?
UFC 225: Whittaker vs. Romero 2 took place on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.
Who won the main event between Robert Whittaker and Yoel Romero?
Robert Whittaker defeated Yoel Romero via split decision (48–47, 47–48, 48–47) after five violent, back-and-forth championship rounds.
Was the UFC Middleweight Championship on the line for Yoel Romero?
No. Yoel Romero weighed in at 185.2 lbs (0.2 lbs over the 185-pound middleweight title limit). As a result, the fight proceeded as a non-title bout for Romero, meaning only Whittaker could defend or retain the championship.
Who won the interim welterweight title in the co-main event?
Colby Covington defeated former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos via unanimous decision (49–46, 48–47, 48–47) to capture the interim UFC Welterweight Championship.
Who earned the post-fight bonuses at UFC 225?
Robert Whittaker earned a double $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus (because Romero was ineligible due to missing weight), while Curtis Blaydes and Charles Oliveira each claimed $50,000 Performance of the Night awards.
What historical record did Charles Oliveira tie at UFC 225?
By submitting Clay Guida via guillotine choke in Round 1, Charles Oliveira earned his 10th career UFC submission, tying UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie for the most submission wins in promotional history at the time.
Why was CM Punk vs. Mike Jackson ruled a No Contest?
Mike Jackson originally defeated CM Punk via unanimous decision (30–26, 30–26, 30–26), but the result was overturned to a No Contest in 2021 by the Illinois commission after Jackson tested positive for marijuana on fight night.
How did Curtis Blaydes defeat Alistair Overeem?
Curtis Blaydes took down Alistair Overeem and landed thunderous ground-and-pound elbows, securing a TKO stoppage at 2:56 of Round 3 to earn a Performance of the Night bonus.
How did Anthony Smith defeat Rashad Evans?
Making his UFC light heavyweight debut, Anthony Smith caught former champion Rashad Evans with a counter knee to the temple, winning by KO in just 53 seconds of Round 1.
How did Holly Holm defeat Megan Anderson?
Former bantamweight champion Holly Holm mixed heavy top pressure, wrestling, and clinch control to sweep former Invicta FC featherweight champion Megan Anderson via unanimous decision (30–27, 30–26, 30–26).
What was the result of Tai Tuivasa vs. Andrei Arlovski?
Australia’s Tai Tuivasa defeated former heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) to advance his undefeated record to 10-0.
How quickly did Dan Ige defeat Mike Santiago?
Dan Ige overwhelmed Mike Santiago with rapid-fire punches against the fence, securing a TKO victory in just 50 seconds of Round 1.
What was the official attendance and gate for UFC 225?
The event drew 18,117 fans to the United Center in Chicago, generating an official live gate of $2,550,000.
Who called the fights at UFC 225?
The pay-per-view broadcast team featured play-by-play lead Jon Anik alongside color analysts Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, with Bruce Buffer announcing.
Where are official event scorecards and reviews available?
Official scorecards and coverage can be accessed on UFC.com’s UFC Results Hub and the IMDb event page.
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