UFC 225: Yoel Romero filing lawsuit against Illinois athletic commission for trying to save his life

UFC middleweight contender, Yoel Romero, missed weight for his UFC 225 pay-per-view (PPV) title fight last weekend in Chicago, which in turn cost him the chance to compete for Robert Whittaker’s 185-pound strap.

Shortly after his scale fail, the Illinois Athletic Commission gave “Soldier of God” two extra hours to make his mark. Coming in at 186, the Cuban slugger needed to shed an additional pound to make his championship bout official.

Then, inexplicably, he was cut off halfway through the process.

“The whole plan was to use those two hours,” agent Abe Kawa told MMA Fighting. “So everything we did from that point going forward in the weight cut was to use those extra two hours slotted to us.”

The final tally was an oh-so-close 185.2.

What was later referred to as an “administrative call” by commission director Nancy Illg cost Romero $50,000 in bonus money, as well as 20-percent of his fight purse. I’m guessing she probably saw something like this taking place and didn’t want to be the executive who rubber stamped a fatality.

It happens.

While the move was no doubt in the best interest of the fighter, which is the whole point of having an athletic commission to begin with (especially in the wake of this), “Soldier of God” plans to file suit in attempt get his money back.

“We’re gonna sue them,” Manager Malki Kawa told The MMA Hour. “I’m gonna send the paperwork soon. It’s going out probably this week.”

Not to be “that guy” ... but if Romero would have made weight during the actual weigh ins — much like his UFC 225 opponent — he would not have been at the commission’s mercy in the first place.

Whittaker went on to win their non-title fight by way of split decision.