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Roberto Romero | Always Learning
Roberto Romero Is Ready To Put All His Training Into Action As He Looks To Secure A Win When He Steps Back Into The Cage April 26, 2025 At UFC Kansas City: Machado Garry vs Prates
The first time Mexican featherweight Roberto Romero got the call to compete in the UFC, it was on less than a week’s notice.
The second time around, the 25-year-old didn’t just get a full camp, but a couple weeks extra when his UFC 314 bout with Alberto Montes got pushed to this weekend, with a new opponent in Timmy Cuamba.
What a difference a few months make, and “El Charro Negro” isn’t complaining.
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“Honestly, I've been feeling very good in this camp,” said Romero. “I've been having my training, it's been going well. And last time I didn't even have a camp, so I really feel a big difference right now.”
That difference encompasses everything in the Chihuahua native’s life since the week in November when he went from regional prospect to member of the UFC roster in the space of one phone call that asked if he would be available to fight David Onama in Madison Square Garden on November 16th’s UFC 309 card.
“I wasn't prepared how I would like to be prepared to take the fight, but, at the same time, I’vebeen training my whole life just waiting for my moment to jump in the big show,” he said. “So my coach and me, we said, ‘F**k it, let's do it,’ because this is the moment. I really believed that if God is going to give me something, it's because I really deserve it.”
After starting his pro career with a 1-2 record, Romero did deserve his shot, thanks to a 7-1-1 run fighting mostly in the Combate Global promotion. And with the work he had been doing in California with Colin Oyama and company, everything came together at the perfect time, even if the timing of less than a week wasn’t perfect. Yet on the trip to New York City, Romero was confident of upsetting Onama, and with his teammate and fellow UFC prospect Fernando Padilla along to corner him, spirits were high.
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“He has been giving me a lot of advice since I got here in California,” said Romero of Padilla.“And that night, he was telling me all the time, stay calm, stay composed, set up your big shots, everything. I was listening to him, and honestly, every (piece of) advice he gave me was very useful that night, and right now, it’s still the same. I keep listening to him when I have to listen to him, and the same with my other coaches. I really think that's a very important key in the game. Listen to your coaches and to your corner. So yeah, I am really glad that he was there because he kept me focused all the time.”
That focus showed on fight night, and in a situation where Romero had every excuse to not perform to the best of his ability, he took the fight to the heavily favored Onama, even dropping him in the opening round. But Onama would storm back and take over the fight as Romero’s late-notice cardio caught up to him. The decision for the Ugandan was unanimous, and Romero does wonder how things would have been different had he took a different tact after scoring that early knockdown.
“It was a bad decision by me,” he said. “I think if I just keep punching him, maybe I could end the fight, but it didn't happen. At the end of the day, he won and he won very well. So congrats to him, and it’s just time for me to improve and get better from that.”
That’s about the only negative from the Romero side of the equation, as he left New York City happy that he showed up to fight and proved that he belonged with the big dogs in the UFC.
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“Honestly, I’m very happy,” Romero said. “Obviously, I know I can do better. But after the fight, I just got very motivated because I saw that I have the level to be at the UFC, fighting with those guys, fighting with the best of the best in the game. I just needed better preparation and a better camp. Obviously, no excuses because I know I could win the fight, too, on that night, but it didn't happen. So the only thing that I can do now is just learn from that, improve and obviously prepare well for the next one.”
With a full camp. Plus, two weeks. For Mexico.
“I really feel very proud to carry my flag because when I carry my flag, I feel like I'm carrying all my people. So that's how I feel. I'm representing my raza, mi gente. So I really love it. I'm not really good even expressing myself. Probably the only way to express myself is fighting. So doing that and, at the same time, representing my country and my people is just very big for me. I really feel very proud of that.
UFC Fight Night: Machado Garry vs Prates took place live from T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri On April 26, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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