Alexandr Romanov Bio
Alexandr Romanov (born December 11, 1990) is a Moldovan professional mixed martial artist and freestyle wrestler who competes in the Heavyweight division. Nicknamed “King Kong,” he is recognized for his top control, grappling pedigree, and finishing instincts. He has competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and now fights in the Professional Fighters League (PFL), while also representing Moldova in international wrestling and professional grappling events.
Standing 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall with a 75 in (191 cm) reach, Romanov combines freestyle wrestling credentials with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu earned under Mike Stewart. He trains out of Comrat, Moldova, with Rising Tide Academy as his current team. He is also widely regarded as one of the most decorated Moldovan fighters to reach a major global MMA roster.
Early Life and Background
Alexandr Romanov was born on December 11, 1990, in Comrat, SSR Moldova, then part of the Soviet Union. He was raised to a Russian father and a Ukrainian mother, growing up in a multilingual region that shaped his identity as a Moldovan athlete. From a young age, his family environment encouraged discipline, and Comrat would later serve as both his hometown and training base.
Romanov began training in freestyle wrestling at the age of seven, quickly developing the technical base that would define his combat sports career. He pursued higher education alongside his athletic development, studying at the law faculty of Comrat State University and the pedagogical faculty of the Chișinău Sport Institute. His academic path complemented years of wrestling, giving him a structured routine that supported consistent progress on the mat.
Path to MMA
After establishing himself as a senior-level freestyle wrestler, Romanov transitioned into mixed martial arts in 2016. He found Muay Thai coach Chelsea Edward, who brought him into the sport of MMA and remains his coach today. This early mentorship helped him blend his wrestling pressure with striking defense and submission awareness.
Romanov built his foundations in his native Moldova, compiling a record of 11 wins and no losses primarily at Eagles Fighting Championship, where he became the heavyweight champion. His unbeaten regional run, combined with international wrestling credentials, attracted attention from major global promotions and set the stage for a UFC signing.
Alexandr Romanov Career
Early Career (2016–2019)
Romanov’s pre-UFC run featured a series of finishes across the Moldovan and regional European scene. His wrestling-heavy style produced smothering top control and frequent submissions, with most of his early victories coming inside the distance. He capped this developmental phase by capturing the Eagles Fighting Championship heavyweight title.
His amateur wrestling résumé also expanded during this period. Romanov earned four Moldovan World Teams appearances (two as a senior and two as a junior) and eight European Teams selections (five senior, three age-group). He also took a brief foray into sumo, winning silver at the 2016 OPEN European Cup, a result that highlighted his adaptability across grappling disciplines.
UFC Breakthrough (2020–2022)
Romanov signed with the UFC on October 3, 2019, and was originally booked against Raphael Pessoa on April 25, 2020, before the card was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Subsequent bookings against Marcin Tybura and Marcos Rogério de Lima were also scrapped because of positive COVID-19 tests. He finally debuted on September 12, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Waterson vs. Hill, submitting Roque Martinez with an arm-triangle choke in the second round.
His momentum continued on November 7, 2020, at UFC on ESPN: Santos vs. Teixeira, where he defeated Marcos Rogério de Lima with the first forearm choke in UFC history, earning Performance of the Night honors. He later outpointed Juan Espino via a controversial technical split decision in April 2021 and stopped Jared Vanderaa with a second-round technical knockout in October 2021.
In 2022, Romanov rebounded from a cancelled booking with Tanner Boser by submitting Chase Sherman via keylock in the first round at UFC on ESPN 35. He then dropped a controversial majority decision to Marcin Tybura at UFC 278, a fight 17 of 18 media outlets scored as a draw. He closed his initial UFC stretch with a unanimous decision win over Blagoy Ivanov at UFC on ESPN 48 in July 2023, after a first-round TKO loss to Alexander Volkov at UFC Fight Night 221.
PFL Era (2025–Present)
After a first-round submission loss to Jailton Almeida at UFC 302 and a unanimous decision win over Rodrigo Nascimento, Romanov was removed from the UFC roster on November 5, 2024, when his contract was not renewed. On January 27, 2025, he announced on Instagram that he had signed with the Professional Fighters League, and the promotion officially confirmed his place in the 2025 PFL Heavyweight Tournament on March 5, 2025.
Romanov opened the tournament with a first-round guillotine choke of Timothy Johnson at PFL 4 on May 1, 2025. He advanced past Valentin Moldavsky at PFL 7 after an accidental groin strike rendered the bout a no contest, with judges ruling him the semifinal winner. In the final at PFL 10 on August 21, 2025, he dropped a split decision to Oleg Popov.
He returned to action at PFL Chicago: Pettis vs. McKee on April 11, 2026, defeating Rodrigo Nascimento by submission in the second round. As of April 21, 2026, he is ranked No. 5 in the PFL heavyweight rankings.
Style and Strengths
Romanov’s fighting style is rooted in freestyle wrestling, using heavy top pressure, chain wrestling, and positional control to dictate the pace of his bouts. His black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Mike Stewart adds a credible submission threat, and his cardio has allowed him to maintain grappling dominance deep into fights.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments are the first forearm choke in UFC history against Marcos Rogério de Lima and a bronze medal at the 2016 World University Championships in freestyle wrestling. He is also a two-time UWW grappling European bronze medalist and an OPEN European Cup silver medalist in sumo.
Alexandr Romanov Career Wins
Romanov has built his record across multiple major promotions, with regional dominance in Moldova followed by UFC and PFL appearances. Verified stoppages, submissions, and decisions form a versatile résumé that reflects both his wrestling base and finishing instincts.
UFC Highlights
In the UFC, Romanov posted notable wins over Roque Martinez, Marcos Rogério de Lima, Juan Espino, Jared Vanderaa, Chase Sherman, Blagoy Ivanov, and Rodrigo Nascimento. Several of these victories came inside the distance, including his Performance of the Night-winning forearm choke against Lima and a first-round keylock of Sherman.
PFL and Other Performances
In the PFL, Romanov submitted Timothy Johnson in the first round at PFL 4 and later defeated Rodrigo Nascimento by second-round submission at PFL Chicago. On the professional grappling circuit, he earned decision wins over Chris Daukaus at Fury Pro Grappling 8 and Dymere Rappa at Fury Pro Grappling 12, the latter by north-south choke.
Alexandr Romanov Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Romanov was born to a Russian father and a Ukrainian mother and was raised in Moldova. His multicultural upbringing and Moldovan roots are central to his identity as an athlete representing his country on the international stage.
Personal Life
Romanov resides in Comrat, Moldova, and is married with three children. He continues to train with Rising Tide Academy alongside longtime coach Adeboy Kechin.
2025 Season Performance
Romanov’s 2025 campaign centered on the 2025 PFL Heavyweight Tournament. He opened with a first-round guillotine choke submission of Timothy Johnson at PFL 4, instantly positioning himself as a tournament favorite.
His semifinal against Valentin Moldavsky at PFL 7 ended in a no contest after an accidental groin strike, with judges advancing Romanov to the final. In the championship bout at PFL 10, he dropped a split decision to Oleg Popov, closing the tournament as the heavyweight runner-up.
Despite the final loss, his grappling-heavy performances throughout 2025 reinforced his place inside the PFL heavyweight rankings and set up a strong start to 2026, where he submitted Rodrigo Nascimento at PFL Chicago to climb to No. 5 in the division.
