- Raul Rosas Jr. becomes the youngest UFC fighter in history after a dominant performance at DWCS 55
- Dana White is certain the 17-year-old is now ready for the UFC
Raul Rosas Jr., a hot prospect in the world of mixed martial arts, beat Mando Gutierrez in a one-sided decision at Dana White’s Contender Series 55. The 17-year-old has already obtained a special license to compete professionally and the win saw him finally earning a UFC contract.
A dominant performance
Ultimately, it was a dominant performance from Rosas, who has been aggressive since the opening bell. At one point in the first round, “El Nino Problema” even attempted to pull off a suloev-stretch on Gutierrez. Rosas almost got caught in a guillotine choke in the dying seconds of the round, but the teenager was able to prevent the submission attempt until the bell rang.
This Suloev stretch attempt by Raul Rosas Jr. was naaaaasty 👀 #DWCS pic.twitter.com/P2SUoluoAu
— UFC (@ufc) September 21, 2022
From that point on, Rosas took over the fight. And though Gutierrez was able to take him down in the final round, he managed to reverse it and gained control again.
All three judges scored the bout 30-27 in favor of Rosas, who was declared the winner via unanimous decision.
The youngest fighter in the history of the UFC
UFC Boss Dana White raved about Rosas’ performance after the fight. And more importantly, the 17-year-old has officially become the youngest UFC fighter in history.
White said during the DWCS 55 post-fight press conference that though some think Rosas may be too young for the UFC, he has proven in the Contender Series that he can beat older guys, something that made him “very special” for his age.
“It’s not like we brought him here into the UFC. We brought him into the Contender Series. He fought a guy whose record is close to his. The only difference between the two, is age.”
“To not even hesitate to sign a kid at 17, he’s special. He’s very, very special,” he pointed out.
Rosas has compiled a flawless pro record of 6-0 before officially earning a UFC contract. Will he be able to continue his hot streak in the prestigious MMA promotion? Let’s wait and see.