Yoel Romero Fails to Make Weight vs. Robert Whittaker, UFC 225 Not for Title

Yoel Romero failed to make weight Friday for his middleweight title fight against Robert Whittaker at UFC 225. 

According to MMA Fighting's Guilherme Cruz, Romero's second and final weight-in attempt clocked in at 185.2 pounds after he initially weighed in at 186 pounds earlier Friday morning. 

ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto documented the scene in Chicago: 

Romero needed to get down to 185 pounds or less to ensure he could compete for the middleweight strap on Saturday at United Center. 

"I think suspensions are in order, I really do," Whittaker said, per Yahoo Sports' Kevin Iole. "Look, if you don't make weight, you're breaching a contract straight up. I think the punishment should be more severe and they should force people to move up in weight if they can't make it."

According to Okamoto, the UFC is currently working with Romero and Whittaker's camps to try to keep the main event together. However, he noted it's "hard to predict what happens at this point." 

Romero also failed to meet the 185-pound requirement in February for an interim middleweight title fight against Luke Rockhold at UFC 221. Soldier of God ultimately won that bout via third-round knockout. 

Whittaker initially won the middleweight title with a unanimous decision defeat of Romero at UFC 217.