Regardless of the controversy over whether 18-year old Raul Rosas Jr. was deserving of a main card spot at UFC 287 in Miami on Saturday, that’s exactly where the youngest fighter in UFC history was.
Rosas Jr., who inked a contract with the promotion after appearing on Dana White’s Contender Series last year as a 17-year old, kicked off the PPV against Christian Rodriguez, who missed weight by 1lb for the fight.
Rodriguez was far from the most well-known bantamweight on the roster, but entered the contest with an impressive (8-1) professional record. Fighting out of Roufusport MMA Academy, Rodriguez looked to derail one of the UFC’s biggest hype trains on the biggest stage of his young career.
Rosas Jr. got to work quickly, ferociously pursuing a takedown in an attempt to get the fight to the ground. Rodriguez fended off a plethora of his opponent’s advances, though Rosas inevitably managed to secure a tight body triangle and control a favorable position for the majority of the round.
Rodriguez found much more success in the second frame, transitioning smoothly to various advantageous positions, seemingly a step ahead of the 18-year-old on the ground as the fight waned on.
Heading into the third round, the fight was tied one round a piece. Rosas was visibly gassed, seemingly unprepared for the possibility that this fight could go the distance. Rodriguez was able to beat and batter Rosas for the entirety of the final round, landing a multitude of significant ground strikes en route to a unanimous decision victory.
Rodriguez extends his win streak to three and will move on to face higher-level competition, while Rosas Jr. has a lot to work on before hopping back into the cage.
Official Result: Christian Rodriguez def. Raul Rosas Jr. by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
