Yoel Romero has laid out a blueprint to beat Ilia Topuria ahead of the featherweight champion's lightweight title unification bout with Justin Gaethje. The former UFC middleweight contender believes targeting high kicks could be the key to defeating the seemingly unstoppable Spaniard.
Topuria faces Gaethje in the main event of UFC White House this June, where he will attempt to unify the lightweight title. The 29-year-old enters the bout as a favorite after knocking out three legends in his last three outings.
High Kick Strategy Could Exploit Topuria's Defense
Romero outlined his approach in an interview with Overdogs Espanol. The Cuban wrestler emphasized the importance of targeting Topuria's head with kicks rather than body or leg strikes.
"One thing is imagining his power, another is feeling it," Romero said. "My plan? Target only high kicks. Not the body, not low. Head kicks to damage the arms and force him to defend. We all know he hits hard."
Historical Evidence Supports Head Kick Approach
The strategy has merit given Topuria's UFC history. Jai Herbert came closest to defeating the Spaniard when he dropped him with a head kick at UFC London in 2022, though Topuria recovered to finish the fight.
Alexander Volkanovski employed a similar game plan in his bout with Topuria, utilizing distance striking and kicks. However, executing this strategy against a pressure fighter like Topuria presents significant challenges.
Gaethje Faces Difficult Task
While Gaethje possesses knockout power in his kicks, most famously putting Dustin Poirier to sleep with a head kick in 2023, implementing Romero's blueprint may prove difficult. The former interim lightweight champion's aggressive style could play into Topuria's hands if he engages in pocket exchanges.
Joe Rogan has stated that a Topuria victory would give him the greatest resume in UFC history. Conversely, a Gaethje win would rank among the biggest upsets in UFC title bout history given the current betting odds.
