Canadian lightweight Anthony (The Genius) Romero looks to land PFL contract

“Anthony Romero is Canada’s best lightweight prospect,” UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby said at the time.

Romero won, recording an 88-60 edge in significant strikes and hobbling his American opponent with 25 leg kicks. But he could not finish him, earning a 30-26, 30-27, 39-28 decision instead.

“He had a tough time stopping a guy with one leg and really had a hard time when Breeden switched to southpaw,” White said afterwards in explaining why Romero did not get a UFC contract. “He’s 23 years old, he’s a young kid. And I absolutely positively think he’s going to be in the UFC some day. Just not tonight.”

Romero, who has black belts in both Japanese and Brazilian jiu-jitsu as well as a junior black belt in taekwondo, has won three of four fights since. He stopped Kenn (Black Fire) Glenn with a flying knee in the second round last time out at Fury FC 60 in April.

Now he is looking to catch the PFL’s eye — and that means not just winning the bout but impressing the celebrity panel that decides who get the contract.

“You need to impress everybody — the fans, the judges … It’s all about performance,” said Romero, whose lone loss was via split decision to Bellator veteran J.J. (The Bosnian Bomber) Okanovich at Fury FC 51 in September 2021.

The PFL Challenger Series celebrity panel this season has included wrestler Kurt Angle, Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Lewis, rapper Wiz Khalifa, and current or retired MMA stars Tyron (The Chosen One) Woodley, Randy (The Natural) Couture, Frank Mir, Vitor (The Phenom) Belfort and Paige (12 Gauge) VanZant.

Friday’s celebrity panel features Woodley, Belfort and former NBA rookie of the year Michael Carter-Williams.

Romero says failing to earn the UFC contract was a bitter pill to swallow at the time, given he has always dreamed of making the UFC.

Now he sees it differently..

“I feel like I’ve grown both mentally and physically and feel like things happen for a reason. Maybe it wasn’t the best timing to be at that level. And I was able to grow outside the UFC.”

“I’m kind of thankful that happened now but looking back at the time I was pretty disappointed,” he added.

Caruso (8-1-0) is a native of Adelaide who trains out of Hard Knocks Gym in Australia and Sanford MMA in South Florida. He won his first seven fights before losing a unanimous decision to Dutch fighter Pieter (The Archangel) Buist on a One Championship card in Jakarta in October 2019.

Caruso, 32, has not fought since October 2020 when he won a unanimous decision over Filipino lightweight Eduard (Landslide) Folayang in One Championship action in Singapore.

“He seems like a strong durable guy,” said Romero.

Romero, who has three brothers and two sisters, comes from durable stock himself. His father Rene is from El Salvador, where he was drafted into the army at 14. He left El Salvador at 16, coming first to California and then Canada.

“I still can’t believe what he’s done to get here,” Romero said of his father. “I’m proud of him.”

Romero, who has competed internationally in kickboxing and jiu-jitsu, has his own gym, Genius MMA in Port Colborne, Ont. While he teaches there, he does a lot of his training at Niagara Top Team alongside UFC fighters (Proper) Mike Malott and Jasmine Jusadavicius and Bellator’s Aaron Jeffery, as well as at Aegis MMA in Oakville, Ont.

Romero trained with former UFC champion Georges St-Pierre in 2016, which remains a special memory. Romero was 18 and training away from home for the first time.

“A crazy experience,” he said

Friday’s fight card is being staged on the backlot of Universal Studios Florida. Romero has yet to fight professionally in Canada.

The main event pits Elvin (The Prodigy) Espinoza, a native of Nicaragua who trains out of Miami, against American Damir (The Bosnian Barn Cat) Ferhatbegovic.

The all-Brazilian co-main pits Paulo Henrique against Mandel Sousa. Henrique looks to become the first deaf fighter to fight under the PFL banner. Charlie Decca fights fellow American Jose Aguayo in the other lightweight clash.

Romero will have his own cheering section with his grandparents, aunts, uncles, mother as well as a brother and sister being there. His father has to stay home for work, so will be watching from afar.

Because of the pandemic, he fought in an empty arena in Las Vegas on the Contender Series.

“It was super-quiet. You could hear a pin drop. So now it would be nice to hear some cheers in the crowd.”

Canadian lightweight Anthony (The Genius) Romero looks to land PFL contract

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