Alexander Romanov

Alexandr Romanov is a 34-year-old Moldovan heavyweight and former UFC contender who has built a career on wrestling dominance and submission prowess. A two-time UWW grappling European bronze medalist and a lifelong wrestler, Romanov brought elite grappling credentials into the UFC in 2020 and quickly made an impression with five consecutive wins, including a landmark Performance of the Night submission (the first-ever forearm choke in UFC history) against Marcos Rogerio de Lima. Standing 6'2" and weighing 261 pounds, he operates as a methodical wrestler and submission hunter, accumulating nine career choke finishes across his 18 professional wins. His style prizes wrestling and clinch control over striking, and his 11 first-round finishes speak to his capacity to finish opponents early when he gains dominant position.

Romanov's career trajectory took a significant turn in 2022 when a controversial majority-decision loss to Marcin Tybura (17 of 18 media outlets scored it a draw) stalled his momentum. A brutal first-round knockout by Alexander Volkov in March 2023 further exposed his vulnerability against elite strikers. Though he rebounded with a decision win over Blagoy Ivanov, a first-round submission loss to Jailton Almeida in June 2024 marked the beginning of the end of his UFC tenure. After a final victory over Rodrigo Nascimento in November 2024, his contract was not renewed, and the promotion released him.

Rather than fade, Romanov pivoted to the Professional Fighters League in January 2025 and was immediately awarded a spot in the 2025 World Tournament, a bracket offering $500,000 to the heavyweight champion. He submitted Tim Johnson in the opening round via guillotine choke and advanced to the finals despite a brutal groin strike from Valentin Moldavsky in the semifinals (a no-contest result that allowed him to progress). Facing Oleg Popov in the August 2025 final, Romanov represents the secondary-league heavyweight eager to prove that the UFC made a mistake cutting him. His wrestling credentials, submission acumen, and high finishing rate make him a compelling draw for fans of ground-fighting and grappling-based heavyweights.