Athletes
Raul Rosas Jr. Is Excited For His Biggest Test
Six Fights Into His UFC Career, 21-Year-Old Raul Rosas Jr Says He's Ready To Make The Step Up Into The Bantamweight Top 15
Raul Rosas Jr has patiently waited for his chance, and now the 21-year-old phenom is ready to make a big step up at UFC 326.
After taking his career record to 11-1 with a unanimous decision victory over Vince Morales last March, Rosas was all set to take on No. 13-ranked Rob Font at Noche UFC the following September, only for injury to force him off the card.
Now back to full fitness and eager to pick up where he left off, Rosas will finally get his chance to share the Octagon with UFC vet Font on Saturday night when they face off in a three-round bantamweight matchup on the main card at T-Mobile Arena.
The chance to fight on a numbered UFC event – this will be his fourth – is always a motivator for Rosas, but this one carries more weight due to the stature of his opponent.
"I got excited more than anything because of the opponent," Rosas told UFC.com this week.
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"I'm able to get a crack at the top 15, and I've been working so hard for this moment. So, finally getting an opportunity against a top 15 opponent, I was like, 'Hell yeah!'"
Even though the Boston-based contender had fought at Noche UFC, and Rosas hadn't, the pair were destined to face off, and the stars aligned for the matchup to be rebooked for this weekend. It was an outcome Rosas wasn't expecting, but he's pumped for the opportunity.
Raul Rosas Jr, Part 1 | Dana White’s Contender Series: Next Level
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Raul Rosas Jr, Part 1 | Dana White’s Contender Series: Next Level
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"I didn't know I was gonna fight Rob, but I kept preparing after my injury in September," he explained.
"I was trying to fight October, November, December 10. I really thought I was gonna fight December 10, so I was, I was at a good weight to make 135 on December 10, but it didn't happen. And then I got the call to fight Rob Font that weekend. I think I've evolved a lot since my last fight. It has been almost a year, so I'm excited to be back."
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MMA is a constantly evolving sport, and the fighters are continually evolving with it. And for Rosas, who burst onto the big stage as an excited, energetic teenager back in 2022, it's been a case of learning on the job while also growing up in front of the world's eyes.
Now 21 years of age, and with six UFC fights under his belt, Rosas feels like he's already a vastly improved athlete compared to the one who earned a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series.
His biggest change, he said, was his overall composure in the heat of the battle.
"I think just my knowledge, my experience, like knowing when to go for the finish," he explained.
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"I think before, like in my UFC debut, I was going a little too crazy. I like that, it's fun, but fighting tougher opponents, like, for example, Rob Font, (who) have more experience."
Now, Rosas will look to use the experience he has gained in his UFC career to date when he tests his skills against Font, a 31-fight veteran of the game who has competed in the Octagon 20 times.
"I've got to use my experience too," said Rosas.
Raul Rosas Jr, Part 2 | Dana White’s Contender Series: Next Level
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!
Raul Rosas Jr, Part 2 | Dana White’s Contender Series: Next Level
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"He has more experience in the cage, but I get all that experience in the training gym, so I try to get that in the gym to be able to match his experience whenever I'm in there with him in the cage."
One pivotal moment in Rosas's young career came against Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287, where he experienced the bitter taste of defeat for the first time as a professional fighter.
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When asked about that defeat, Rosas admitted that it was always coming, but when it did, it served as the wake-up call he needed to take his commitment to the sport to a new level.
"If that (loss) would have not happened, it would probably would have happened my fight after that," he admitted.
"I think that just humbled me and taught me a lot of things inside of the cage that I did wrong, and outside the cage – my preparation, my diet, my food, so many things that I was able to put together.
"I realize that now I'm in the UFC, I'm fighting tough people – there's no easy fights in this company. And I feel like after that fight is when it clicked, like, OK, we gotta be more professional, you know?"
With those lessons learned, Rosas has bounced back to winning form and heads into Saturday night on a four-fight win streak, having defeated Terrence Mitchell, Ricky Turcios, Aoriqileng, and Vince Morales.
MMA Coach Breaks Down UFC 326 Main Event
Now Rosas feels like the time is right for him to make his move into the rankings, and he hopes to get there with a statement victory over the respected Font on Saturday night.
"I think I finish him," he predicted.
"Obviously, he hasn't been finished in a long time, so I'm excited to go in there and try my best and figure it out how to get that finish. And either way, if it goes three rounds, I'm ready to get my hand raised.
"It starts the year off, good. And I want to stay active and fight two to three times more after this fight. So, God willing, I'm just hoping, more than anything, to step out of the cage with no injuries and be able to get back in there soon. Obviously right now, I'm focused on Saturday, and I just know that's going to be a great start to the year after I get this win."
And you can be sure that, while he might not be quite as wild in the Octagon during the fight, he'll still be channeling all the energy he gets from the fans who have taken him to their hearts ever since his arrival in the UFC.
"Man, this is amazing, the energy they bring, the fight fans, the true fight fans," he said.
"I'm just blessed to be able to connect with the fans, and that they love my style, they love everything. I'm just there to put on a show and give it my best."
