Outside Source
Burns believes it’s possible to become a world champion if someone with an athletic background starts training MMA in their 20s. However, “Durinho” doesn’t think it’s possible to become a world champion by starting at 30 years of age. However, Burns makes an exception for athletes like former UFC middleweight Yoel Romero.
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Athletic Background is Key
“Thirty [is too late]. At 30 you’re done,” Burns told Alexei Pergande. “But I think in 20s you still can do it. If you’re athletic, if you did any kind of sport a little bit, you can do it. But it’s all in the mind. If you believe in it, if you put in the work, you have a good team around, age is not a problem. But after 30 it’s gonna be hard. At least if you’re not Yoel Romero. If you are Yoel Romero, you can do it, if you’re not Yoel Romero, you cannot do it.”
Romero (16-7) won silver in freestyle wrestling at the 2000 Olympics at 23 years of age. However, the Cuban transitioned to MMA much later and made his UFC debut at 36 years of age. While “Soldier of God” never won a UFC title, he made a failed bid for the middleweight title against Israel Adesanya in 2020.
Romero subsequently parted ways with the UFC and signed with Bellator MMA, where he also unsuccessfully challenged Vadim Nemkov for the light heavyweight title. Romero stopped competing in MMA in 2024 and has since scored two knockout wins at Dirty Boxing and one at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Romero also beat former Division I champion Pat Downey in a wrestling match last month. Romero has since suffered a wrestling loss against Olympic hopeful Stephan Buchanan earlier this month. The 48-year-old is now scheduled to fight Lorenzo Hunt and BKFC Knuckle Mania 6 on Feb. 7 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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