Yoel Romero outlines his mentality at age 49 before BKFC 94 Manchester fight with Darren Till

Yoel Romero has provided fight fans with an insight into his otherworldly mindset as he looks to notch yet another marquee victory in his long and storied combat sports career. 

The 49-year-old MMA veteran and bare-knuckle fighter also outlined the age at which he'd like to retire from his career as a professional combat sportsperson. 

Yoel Romero reveals his extraordinary mentality before bare-knuckle fight against fellow MMA and UFC vet Darren Till

During his latest appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, UFC middleweight title challenger Yoel Romero addressed multiple topics, including the unparalleled longevity of his career in the fight game. 

When initially asked about his scheduled bare-knuckle boxing match against Darren Till, set for BKFC 94 Manchester later this month, Romero seemed to suggest that he was unemotional and focused on winning. 

The Cuban combatant's translator stated, "He didn't have any emotional feelings toward it. He just feels like this is the beginning of a new era." 

Moreover, an Olympic gold medalist in the sport of freestyle wrestling (85 kg category) from the 2000 Olympic Games, Romero cited his incredible mentality at the age of 49. He explained: 

"This feels like it is the beginning of a new era for me. Starting off with Darren Till, I'm treating this like it was an Olympic cycle. My last four years of competition. I'm very emotional in a sense that I'm excited." 

Romero was then asked whether he still plans to retire at the age of 52, to which he confirmed that he does indeed intend to head into retirement when he's 52 years old. "Soldier of God" maintains, however, that he finds himself to be in tremendous shape and feels great even after all these years of tough competition. 

Watch Yoel Romero discuss his mindset ahead of his imminent bare-knuckle boxing match against Darren Till below: 

Yoel Romero’s mentality at 49 is on another level: "This feels like it is the beginning of a new era for me. Starting off with Darren Till, I'm treating this like if it was an Olympic cycle. My last 4 years of competition. I'm very emotional in a sense that I'm excited." https://t.co/4hbnHdAcCs

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) September 23, 2026

BKFC 94 Manchester -- Darren Till vs. Yoel Romero is a pivotal fight for both fan-favorite fighters

Darren Till is 1-0 as a bare-knuckle boxer, but he boasts vast experience in MMA and has even dabbled in gloved professional boxing. On the other hand, Yoel Romero is 1-1 in the ungloved boxing realm. He's extensively competed in freestyle wrestling and MMA, and he has his sights set on achieving bare-knuckle boxing glory. 

Their highly anticipated bare-knuckle boxing match has been touted as one of the biggest combat sports contests of the year. Incidentally, the first of the five-city BKFC tryouts for the organization's World's Baddest Man tournament also happens to be booked for BKFC Manchester fight week, Thursday, September 24, to be specific. 

The international tournament boasts an enormous $20 million in its overall prize pool and would hand its winner an alluring $10 million. 

Ergo, speculation has abounded that experienced fighters such as Darren Till, Yoel Romero, and the BKFC's first-ever three-division champion Lorenzo Hunt could enter the tournament. 

Another significant element at play is the looming presence of "Platinum" Mike Perry, who possesses the symbolic BKFC King of Violence title and has long been considered a 'frenemy' of the 33-year-old Till.

The belief is that the Till-Romero fight's winner could be on a collision course with Perry, albeit when the latter returns from his shoulder injury hiatus. Alternatively, the winner could fight Lorenzo Hunt or another champion inside the Squared Circle for a BKFC world championship. 

England's Till will take on Cuba's Romero in a catchweight, reportedly a 190-pound, bare-knuckle boxing match. They'll star in the main event of BKFC 94 Manchester at the AO Arena in Manchester, England, come Saturday, September 26.