Las Vegas, NV — The youngest fighter to ever sign a UFC contract, winning his way into the promotion on Dana White’s Contender Series last year, Raul Rosas Jr. returns at Noche UFC this Saturday in his third fight with the promotion.
Rosas (7-1) enters the fight from a very different position than he’s used to. The teenager is coming off the first loss of his career, a one sided decision the 18-year old dropped to Christian Rodriguez back in April.
The Mexican talent is still getting the main card placement at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this weekend, something he admitted during Wednesday’s media day “means a lot.”
“Even being on the main card on a good spot,” Rosas added, speaking to media outlets including Cageside Press. “It’s a good fight card, and still being on the main card, I’m just excited to, this time— it’s a good opportunity for my comeback. I’m going to have a lot of eyes on me for my comeback.”
Asked what area he’s most excited to show his improvements in since the Rodriguez loss, Rosas suggested it would be everything across the board.
“I’m just excited to show my improvements in everything. Every single detail you can think of,” Rosas replied, listing off his cardio, grappling, striking and wrestling. “I’m just ready for whatever, and I’m going to show whatever I have to show. It depends how long the fight goes, because I’m going to be looking for the finish every moment. But this time I’m going to set a pace and everything. It’s going to be a fun night.”
Fan backlash online following that first loss was there, but “I got more love than hate,” Rosas admitted, pointing out the number of fans who were excited for him to return. “I appreciate that, but of course there was hate too. But I knew this is how the sport is. even if Khabib [Nurmagomedov] came back and lost, the fans would turn their back on him.”
Nurmagomedov retired as lightweight champion in 2020 with a record of 29-0, one of the few high-level mixed martial artists to ever go undefeated in their career.
Watch the full Noche UFC media day appearance by Raul Rosas Jr.
