RAF’s fifth installment comes with a fair share of turbulence. The event was supposed to feature 12 blockbuster wrestling matches, bringing together wrestlers, MMA stars, and NCAA legends on the same stage. But all eyes are on Olympian and interim light heavyweight champion Yoel Romero. He was set to face champion Bo Nickal in a title unification match. However, just one step away from claiming the title, Romero hit a snag.

The fight card includes grappling and wrestling‑background MMA stars such as Arman Tsarukyan, Colby Covington, Luke Rockhold, and Lance Palmer. While the lineup is stacked, three wrestlers missed weight: Yoel Romero, Stephen Buchanan, and the featherweight division’s Jordan Oliveira. Despite the setback, ‘Soldier of God’ will still compete, but he will have to pay the price.

“We plan for every scenario, and tonight still delivers one of the most stacked wrestling cards ever assembled. Yoel Romero did not make weight and has been stripped of his interim champion status. As a result, Bo Nickal will not compete tonight and is now recognized as the undisputed RAF Light Heavyweight Champion at 205 lbs,” wrote RAF in a statement on X.

Romero will still fight, facing Stephen Buchanan, who also missed weight for his matchup with Pat Downey. Meanwhile, Nickal and Downey will not compete. This isn’t the first time a showdown between Nickal and Romero has fallen through.

In fact, they were originally booked to face each other last December at RAF 4, but Nickal was pulled from the fight for unknown reasons. Back then, ‘Soldier of God’ fought and beat Pat Downey. Now, with his deeper involvement in RAF, Romero has a clear path and a chance to box with a fellow UFC veteran.

Yoel Romero opens the door to a fresh showdown with UFC veterans

Boxing has quickly become the hotspot for UFC vets after retirement. Stars like Tyron Woodley, Ben Askren, and Anderson Silva have already made waves, riding the crossover trend sparked by Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. Not every fighter can pull huge numbers, but boxing still pays off big for MMA athletes.

Now, former RAF interim champ Yoel Romero is turning his attention to the ring. Even before his RAF 5 clash with Bo Nickal fell through, Yoel Romero had called out Anderson Silva, who was coming off a win over Tyron Woodley on the Jake Paul vs. Anthony Joshua undercard.

“I want every sport, and don’t blink because boxing, I’m coming for the boxing,” Romero told The Schmo. “You see what happened, Anderson Silva beat Tyron. But he called the wrong name! He said he wants to fight Weidman. Come on, Silva. Come on, my man. You know I am the man. You need to fight with me. You need to fight me, I need to fight you. Let’s do it! Boxing, let’s go Anderson. See you soon, boy.”

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Still, both fighters showed remarkable endurance, even in their 50s. So, with Yoel Romero’s wrestling background, could he realistically challenge Silva in his own boxing domain, where Silva has been active since retirement? Drop your thoughts below.