Yoel Romero

Yoel Romero, the 'Soldier of God,' was one of the most frightening athletes the middleweight division has ever seen. An Olympic silver medalist and world champion in wrestling, he came to MMA late but quickly became a nightmare matchup thanks to extraordinary explosiveness and one-shot knockout power, especially his flying knees and left hand.

Romero would lull opponents with patience, then detonate - knockouts of former champions Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman are among the highlights. He challenged for the title multiple times in razor-close, controversial fights, including classic five-round wars with Robert Whittaker that could have gone either way. His record sits around 16-7.

For newcomers, Romero is must-watch athleticism - a fighter who could be down on the cards and end everything with a single explosive burst. His weight-cutting struggles cost him dearly at times, but on talent alone he was one of the scariest contenders of his generation.