After being cancelled hours out from their UFC Mexico City date, bantamweights Raul Rosas Jr. and Ricky Turcios finally got to share the cage, this time as part of the UFC Louisville main card on Saturday.
The fight, which had initially been rescheduled a week out from the Mexico City date before being pushed back once again, found Rosas looking to improve to 3-1 under the UFC banner. Turcios, winner of The Ultimate Fighter 29, represented a credible step up in competition.
Turcios opted to start off hot with a scream followed by a kick, setting the tone early. Rosas, however, landed his first takedown less than thirty seconds into the opening round, forcing Turcios to scramble back to the fence. Turcios couldn’t make it back up however, and was then serenaded with a “f*ck you Ricky!” chant from a clearly pro-Rosas Jr. crowd.
At the midway point of round one, Turcios finally got back to his feet, only to be picked up and put back down. Turcios scrambled, but Rosas stayed on him and prevented the reversal. Turcios did, however, land a few elbows before making it back up again, albeit briefly. This time, Rosas dragged Turcios down and nearly took the back, but Ricky finally managed to reverse, took the back, and put on a body triangle, locking up a tight rear-naked choke! Rosas Jr, rather than defend, punched backwards and just gutted through it! Not what you’d call intelligent defense, but it worked, and he actually finished the round taking the back himself.
These two are RELENTLESS 💥#UFCLouisville pic.twitter.com/fIMAo1aTry
— UFC (@ufc) June 9, 2024
Round two found Raul Rosas Jr. secured an early takedown, with Turcios seated along the fence. Again, he would drop some elbows, and soon back it back up, with Rosas still on him. Rosas dragged him down and took the back again, hunting the rear-naked choke. Turcios fought hands, but couldn’t break the body lock. Rosas got his arm in, across the face initially, then slipped under the chin and forced the tap! The biggest career win to date for the teenaged star, who celebrated with a victory lab around the cage.
Official Result: Raul Rosas Jr. def. Ricky Turcios by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 2:22
