Lopez Edges Romero On Majority Decision At 147

Teofimo Lopez became a three-weight world champion Saturday night with a majority decision win over Rolly Romero at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The judges scored it 114-114, 115-113, and 116-112 in Lopez's favor after 12 rounds that looked more like a sparring session than a championship fight, per MMA Fighting.

Lopez moved up to welterweight to challenge Romero for the WBA title, relying on volume and craft to outwork his opponent across most rounds. The former lightweight and super lightweight champion connected consistently with jabs and body shots while Romero waited for counter opportunities that rarely materialized.

Romero's Fifth-Round Left Hook Nearly Shifted Momentum

Romero landed his best punch of the night in the fifth round when a check left hook caught Lopez coming in and put him on shaky legs. Lopez survived the scare and made it to the bell, but Romero failed to capitalize in the next round, returning to his low-output approach and allowing Lopez to comfortably outwork him the rest of the way.

"He was playing around too much," Lopez's corner told him after the fifth round, according to the MMA Fighting live blog. A small cut opened over Lopez's right eye during that frame, but the damage never escalated.

The relationship between the two longtime friends appeared rocky heading into the bout, but the action inside the ring lacked urgency. Romero threw few meaningful punches over the final seven rounds while Lopez continued pressing forward with steady volume. The crowd grew restless as the pace dragged and neither fighter committed to sustained offense.

Lopez, now 23-2, claimed his third world title at a third weight class. Romero dropped to 17-3 in a performance marked by hesitation and minimal output.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Teofimo Lopez edges Rolly Romero with majority decision to become three-weight world champion
• MMA Fighting — Rolly Romero vs. Teofimo Lopez full fight video highlights