Athletes
Raul Rosas Jr. Is Built For These Moments
Bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. Aims To Deliver His Best Performance To Date In Front Of A Home Crowd At UFC Mexico City
Coming into the UFC as the youngest fighter in the promotion’s history brings a certain set of eyeballs and expectations. Raul Rosas Jr. stepped into that spotlight at the age of 17 after impressing on Dana White’s Contender Series. He made his Octagon debut on the final PPV event of 2022, getting the win by first-round submission and solidifying himself as one of the most intriguing prospects in the bantamweight division.
Then Rosas Jr. came up short against Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287 last April. It felt almost as if the chatter around his name changed. It’s not that the hype train surrounding Rosas Jr. had been derailed; it seemed more that critics were concerned that he had been pushed too quickly.
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Regardless of the opinions, Rosas Jr. took that loss and used it to make some adjustments and bounce back better than ever.
“I’ve changed a lot with the loss back in Miami,” Rosas Jr. told UFC.com. “I was able to fix a lot of things that I did throughout the camp and in the fight and everything. [The loss] made me a better fighter.”
He showcased those improvements when he faced Terrance Mitchell at Noche UFC. “El Niño Problema” connected with a beautiful counter left that put Mitchell flat on his back. He followed up with ground strikes and eventually mounted Mitchell, pouring on the strikes until the referee called a stop to the fight in just 54 seconds.
It was the perfect redemption moment for Rosas Jr., and it came on the perfect night.
The Mitchell fight happened on Noche UFC, the same day as Mexican Independence Day. The whole card was built around Mexican fighters and was met with overwhelming support from fight fans.
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This weekend, Rosas Jr. makes his first appearance of 2024 when he fights The Ultimate Fighter 29 winner Ricky Turcios on the UFC Mexico City main card. It’s just the sixth time that UFC has held an event in Mexico City and the first time in four-and-a-half years.
And Rosas Jr. is thrilled to have the chance to compete in front of his people.
“It means a lot because I have a lot of family in Mexico that can’t go watch me fight live in the U.S.,” Rosas Jr. said. “This is one of my dreams to be able to perform in front of my family and now Saturday night it’s going to be a reality.”
After his emphatic knockout win over Mitchell, the talk around Rosas Jr. changed its tune again. The now 19-year-old was back to being a prospect that everyone has their eyes on, but the talk wasn’t what Rosas Jr. was focused on. He was dialed in on showcasing the hard work that he put in after his lone defeat.
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“It meant a lot because I put in a lot of work for these types of moments. It felt really good,” Rosas Jr. said. “[Beating Mitchell] showed that I’m never going to give up on my dreams.
“I’m going to keep pushing and keep working hard for them.”
Work ethic is a point of emphasis to Rosas Jr., who makes it clear that he wouldn’t be competing on the biggest stage in mixed martial arts at such a young age if he wasn’t willing to put in the work. He’s convinced that greatness comes when the lines between work ethic and talent intersect, and he’s striving toward that with every fight.
Rosas Jr. believes he has already come a long way since getting a UFC contract back in 2022, and delivering his best performance to date against Turcios is the perfect way to prove that.
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“I’m just trying to show that I’m ready because I know he’s a good fighter,” Rosas Jr. said. “He’s The Ultimate Fighter champion so it’s a good opportunity for me. I’ve been training really hard, and I expect a war. I just can’t wait.
“I’m ready for whatever. Three dominant rounds or a war. I just need to get my hand raised.”
What makes this opportunity even more important to Rosas Jr. is that he wants to put on a show for all of those in the crowd supporting him and cheering on the Mexicans fighting on the card.
Delivering his best performance to date in that type of environment in the spotlight of the main card is exactly the type of situation that Rosas wants to be in. After all, working hard for these moments is what Rosas Jr. does.
And he’s expecting Saturday night at Arena CDMX to be his best Octagon moment yet.
“I think it’s going to be crazy with all the Mexican support. I appreciate everybody. I’m excited for Saturday night,” Rosas Jr. said. “This win is going to mean a lot for me and it’s going to open a lot of doors. I’m excited for all that.”
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Royval 2 took place live from Arena CDMX in Mexico City, Mexico on February 24, 2024. See the Prelims / Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
