Athletes
Fighters On The Rise | UFC Fight Night: Rosas Jr. vs Barcelos
Identifying Three Ascending Fighters To Pay Close Attention To This Weekend In Las Vegas
Fight cards that are sandwiched between two numbered events often get overlooked as everyone is reeling from the previous weekend and readying for what may come a week later, but just blindly dismissing those events tucked in between can be risky.
It happened twice last year — in Nashville between UFC 317 and UFC 318, and late in the year in Qatar between UFC 322 and UFC 323 — and those two events produced a number of entertaining performances and crucial wins for fighters like Arman Tsarukyan, Ian Machado Garry, Gabriel Bonfim, and Fatima Kline. As the action shifts the Meta APEX on Saturday in the wake of UFC 331 and in advance of UFC 332, make sure you don’t miss out on any of the action and be sure to pay extra close attention to these three emerging talents.
Watch Every UFC Event On Paramount+
Raul Rosas Jr.
Rosas Jr. remains one of the most fascinating athletes on the roster and checks off another milestone this weekend as he headlines for the first time opposite Raoni Barcelos while continuing his quest to break Jon Jones’ record as the youngest champion in UFC history. The 21-year-old bantamweight, who turns 22 on October 8, enters on a five-fight winning streak, most recently besting veteran Rob Font at UFC 326. He completed 16 of 18 takedown attempts in that contest and has leaned on his ability to chew up the clock with his grappling throughout his current run of success, having garnered at least five minutes of control time in each of his last four wins.
On one hand, it’s outstanding that Rosas Jr. has developed to the point where he can thoroughly out-grapple solid bantamweights and neutralize their offensive weapons so effectively. On the other hand, you’d love to see more offense from the rising star. He landed just 10 significant strikes against Font with zero submission attempts and 72 combined significant strikes and one submission attempt in his last four bouts although he was successful with that one submission attempt.
DWCS: Week 7 Preview | Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 10
Saturday’s meeting with Barcelos feels like a tremendous measuring stick moment for “El Nino Problema” as the Brazilian has — in theory — the takedown defense and grappling acumen to thwart Rosas Jr.’s attempts to dominate in that realm as well as the hands to make him pay if that should be the case. Moreso than the bout with Font in March, this is the contest that will provide a clearer picture of whether the youngest competitor to ever win a UFC fight needs to expand his tool kit a little more before making a real push towards the top-10.
Brady Hiestand
It’s been a minute since we last saw Hiestand, who returns to action for the first time in 834 days this weekend when he steps in against fellow prospect Rinya Nakamura.
Hiestand, who was a finalist on Season 29 of The Ultimate Fighter, showed a ton of upside during his first three UFC appearances. He earned a hard-fought unanimous decision win over Fernie Garcia in his debut before securing third-round finishes over Danaa Batgerel and Garrett Armfield before a knee injury forced him to the sidelines. In addition to rehabbing and getting back into the swing of things as a fighter, the Spokane-native became a firefighter, knocking out his second career goal while following in the footsteps of former UFC heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic.
ANNOUNCEMENT: Gane-Hokit, Harrison-Nunes Headline UFC 334 In New York City
\What’s most intriguing about Hiestand as a prospect is that he’s only 27 and has already shown an incredible ability to deal with adversity and push forward to win fights. That’s something you can’t teach, and for him to have exhibited that in his early 20s, it feels like the best days are still very much in front of him. He’s got moxie and heart, and those two things can get you a long way in this sport. That being said, I’m curious to see how his game has developed in the time away and if he’s able to pick right up where he left off this weekend.
Nakamura is a dangerous assignment and someone that matchups up well with Hiestand, whose best skill is his grappling. The Road to UFC Season 1 tournament winner is 10-1 overall and 3-1 inside the Octagon, but he is coming off a layoff as well. Since it has been over a year since we saw him last — and that fight only lasted 62 seconds – it’s difficult to know what to expect out of Nakamura other than that he will likely look to lean on his grappling.
Ailin Perez
Ailín Pérez Submits Zheleznykova | UFC Paris
Unlock MORE of your inner combat sports fan with UFC Fight Pass! Fighting is what we live for. And no one brings you MORE live fights, new shows, and events across multiple combat sports from around the world. With a never-ending supply of fighting in every discipline, there`s always something new to watch. Leave it to the world`s authority in MMA to bring you the Ultimate 24/7 platform for MORE combat sports, UFC Fight Pass!
Ailín Pérez Submits Zheleznykova | UFC Paris
/
Perez is a perfect example of one of those athletes that only starts to get some recognition after a handful of consecutive wins as she arrives back in Las Vegas this weekend for a showdown with Brazilian contender Norma Dumont riding a six-fight winning streak. No one really batted an eye after her first two wins, and beating Joselyne Edwards in a grudge match at UFC 302 didn’t really resonate either, but people started taking notice when she beat Daria Zhelezniakova in Paris before besting Karol Rosa and Macy Chiasson.
There will be some that want to downplay the value of those last two victories as neither Rosa nor Chiasson ever made a real run at contention, but they were definitive victories, and a win over Dumont would propel her even further up the ladder.
UPCOMING UFC EVENT TICKETS: UFC Edmonton | UFC 332
Perez knows who she is and plays to her strengths, registering at least two takedowns in each fight during her winning streak while always doing enough on the ground to maintain her position. Although Dumont stumbled against the now surging Edwards in April, she is Perez’ toughest test to date without question.
With the title on the line in November and Edwards standing as the only active fighter positioned ahead of her in the rankings, this could honestly be a title eliminator. A dominant performance from the spirited Argentinian could very well earn her a championship opportunity in 2026.
UFC Fight Night: Rosas Jr. vs Barcelos took place live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 26, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
Tags