After tonight’s UFC 225 event, is Yoel Romero’s future at light heavyweight?

It’s one of many topics UFC President Dana White covered during a scrum with reporters on Friday.

The session came following Saturday’s UFC 225 ceremonial weigh-ins at Chicago’s United Center, which hosts tonight’s pay-per-view event (via YouTube):

UFC 225 initially was supposed to feature a rematch and title fight between middleweight titleholder Robert Whittaker (19-4 MMA, 10-2 UFC) and Romero (13-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC). However, after Romero narrowly missed weight (watch it above) – the second straight time he’s been overweight for a title fight – the championship stakes are gone for tonight’s bout. Win or lose, Romero isn’t eligible for the belt, and Whittaker will leave the octagon as the UFC 185-pound champion.

Given the 41-year-old vet’s weight issues, White said Romero should consider a move up to light heavyweight, especially if he’s victorious at UFC 225.

“If he wins, I think he should move up to 205 pounds and fight the No. 1 contender to see who fights for the title,” White said.

One possible opponent? White said he likes the idea of a fight between Romero and former title challenger Alexander Gustafsson (18-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who’s been angling for rematches with current light-heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier (20-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) and former titleholder Jon Jones (22-1 MMA, 16-1 UFC).

GSP for 155 title? Not with McGregor around

Recent middleweight champion and former longtime welterweight titleholder Georges St-Pierre – at lightweight?

It could happen, but White suggested he “GSP” won’t have title stakes in his first bout.

While St-Pierre (26-2 MMA, 20-2 UFC) hasn’t retired – despite White’s previous claim he has – current lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov (26-0 MMA, 10-0 UFC) and his camp have been pushing for a fight with GSP. White, though, said the obvious matchup to make is with former titleholder/part-time boxer/infamous bus attacker Conor McGregor (21-3 MMA, 9-1 UFC).

“He just fought at 185 pounds and didn’t defend the title,” White of St-Pierre, who vacated the belt and stepped away from competition due to ulcerative colitis in late 2017. “What, I’m going to have him fight down there? First of all, I don’t even know if he can make the weight. … And what has he done in that division to deserve a fight with either one of those guys? The answer is nothing.”

“I think Khabib is a massive fight with Conor. I think that’s the fight to happen right now. Listen, if Georges St-Pierre wants to move to 155, prove he can make it and fight the No. 1 contender down there. Then absolutely I’d do it.”

No real update on Lesnar

Former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar is a possibility but far from a lock to return to the octagon from the WWE ring. Of course, that’s been the latest update for much of the past decade for the pro-wrestling star.

“I don’t know,” White said. “I haven’t talked to him recently. I know his deal is up in August, and I know he wants to fight. Listen, when he’s ready to fight, he’ll give me a call. …

“I don’t know the dealings in the WWE, but as far as I know, his deal’s until August. But I don’t know for sure.”

Cyborg vs. Nunes, champ vs. champ?

So, what’s the latest on that possible champion-vs.-champion women’s fight between featherweight titleholder Cris Cyborg (20-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and bantamweight champ Amanda Nunes (16-4 MMA, 9-1 UFC)?

“You know that’s the fight that I want, but (Nunes’) foot is broken right now,” White said. “And apparently there’s some gas crisis going on in Brazil or something. She can’t get out of her home town right now.”

“The sh-t that goes on here, you can’t write it. (WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon) couldn’t come up with the sh-t that happens here. There’s a gas crisis, and she can’t get out of her country? Are you f-cking kidding me right now? You couldn’t write this sh-t.”

Cyborg has her doubts about Nunes, as she recently explained to MMAjunkie:

In fact, Cyborg has also mentioned interest in professional boxing, which amused White.

“Yeah, there’s a lot of money in that,” White said with a nearly audible eye-roll. “Unless she’s boxing Floyd (Mayweather), that’s probably a bad idea. Unless Floyd is ready to fight her, it’s probably not a good idea.”

For more on UFC 225, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.