Top Mexican prospect and budding UFC star Raul Rosas Jr. took on a “Mongolian Murderer” in the form of Aoriqileng at UFC 306, which took place at The Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday.
The much ballyhooed “Noche UFC” (brought to you, rather puzzlingly, by Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season) would either thrill or fail based on its overall production as well as its fights, but at the end of the day, it was the action that mattered — and Rosas had proven capable of brining just that.
Rosas opened the bantamweight fight with a couple of kicks, while simultaneously being warned for outstretched fingers. The 19-year old continued his kick-heavy attack, but neither man saw much success until the fight went to the ground about three minutes in, with Rosas on top. He deftly moved to side control, then mount; Aoriqileng tried to buck him off and scramble out, only to give up the back. Rosas got hooks in, and eventually a body lock, while Aoriqileng fought that hands.
Unfortunately for Raul Rosas Jr. he’d run out of time in round one. The first half of round two played out on the feet, with little of note landing. That changed in the back half of the round, with Rosas getting his hands going, and Aoriqileng answering back, getting the crowd into the fight. The pair would go on to trade kicks to the body in a fight that increasingly looked like it would go the distance.
Rosas Jr. changed things up in the third care of an early takedown, inside of the opening minute. Aoriqileng scrambled to the fence, got himself up, and found himself slammed right back down. Rosas was quickly into side control, and later took control of the back with Aoriqileng on his knees. Speaking of knees, Rosas would land several to the body before Aoriqileng would scramble again, ending up on his back with Rosas in guard.
With Rosas keeping the pressure up on top, Aoriqileng would never make it off his back, with Raul Rosas Jr. cruising to a decision victory and improving to 4-1 under the UFC banner at the age of just 19.
Official Result: Raul Rosas Jr. def. Aoriqileng by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
