Romero believes he broke leg in 1st round of Rockhold fight

Yoel Romero might be out of commission for a while.

Shortly after knocking out Luke Rockhold in Round 3 of the middleweight main event of Saturday's UFC 221 in Perth, the 40-year-old revealed he may have broken his leg while eating some kicks in the bout's first round.

Romero had to be helped out of the cage immediately following the victory and was subsequently transported to hospital.

UFC president Dana White said the Cuban earned a rematch opposite reigning champion Robert Whittaker with the stoppage despite missing weight on Friday and thereby being ineligible to win the interim crown at stake for Rockhold in Saturday's headliner. But if Romero's prognosis is correct, White's designs could change, as Whittaker is currently recovering from several afflictions and aims to get back in the saddle this summer.

Romero and Whittaker first clashed for an interim crown at UFC 213, where the latter gutted out a unanimous decision victory.