UFC 248: UFC president Dana White admits Israel Adesanya's title defence against Yoel Romero 'sucked'

Israel Adesanya fights Yoel Romero during UFC 248. Photo / Photosport

Criticism of Israel Adesanya's UFC middleweight title fight against Cuban Yoel Romero continues to mount - with the latest blow coming from none other than UFC boss Dana White.

Adesanya and Romero have been slammed by fans and experts for failing to fire any shots in the headline bout at UFC 248 in Las Vegas on Sunday, a fight the Nigerian-born Kiwi won by unanimous decision to retain his flawless record.

He is expected to next face unbeaten Brazilian contender Paulo Costa in July.

Fans took to social media early on in what was expected to be one of the fights of the year, lamenting the fact that neither fighter seemed prepared to engage, before referee Dan Miragliotta warned both fighters to step it up at the start of the fourth round.

Addressing the media after the fight, UFC president White admitted the fight "sucked" - but explained the strawweight blockbuster between Zhang Weili and Joanna Jedrzejczyk immediately preceding Adesanya-Romero played some part.

"That was a tough act to follow after the co-main event and I believe Israel Adesanya fights to the level of his opponent," White explained.

"I'm shocked that Romero knew this was his last opportunity at a world championship. I thought he was going to come out like a bat out of hell, put tons of pressure on him, shoot takedowns, try to knock him out. He did literally none of that.

"If you're Adesanya, he fought the smart fight. He stood on the outside and chopped that leg apart. He picked his punches and did what he did. Romero did a lot of moving around and acting like he was trying to fight, but he never did."

Israel Adesanya fights Yoel Romero during UFC 248. Photo / Photosport

Adesanya's next appearance in the Octagon will be a lot different, White warned.

"You better believe that Paulo Costa's gonna go after him. That fight is gonna be ridiculous.

"If you look at the UFC as a whole for as long as we've been doing it, you can literally put in one hand the s***ty fights that we've done.

"But yes, the fight sucked."