Raul Rosas Jr. believes he’s ready to face a top 15 opponent next.
Rosas made his UFC debut at the age of 17, the youngest in the promotion’s history, and won by first-round submission over Jay Perrin in his debut at UFC 282 in 2022 before suffering his only professional loss in an upset to Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287 in 2023.
Rosas has since reeled off three straight wins, including two finishes. He earned a unanimous decision victory over bantamweight veteran Kyren Awoli at UFC 306 on Sept. 14. The 19-year-old believes he’s ready to face a ranked opponent. If he can’t find a ranked opponent right away, “El Nino Problema” is looking for someone who can get him closer to a top-15 opponent.
“Personally, I know I’m ready, but even if I’m not, I’ll figure out how to prepare for the day and the opponent,” Rosas told MMAjunkie.com. “If I’m ready, which I know I am, I can prepare even more so I can not only win, but actually finish and impress everybody. And, more importantly, I want UFC to keep me fighting for the belt, which is why I asked for a ranked opponent. Either way, if I can’t find a ranked opponent, I’d like an opponent that will find me a ranked opponent.”
Rosas doesn’t have a preference for an opponent and just wants a fight that will help him take a step toward his ultimate goal of becoming a champion.
“Anyone really. I’m just looking to get the opportunity,” he said. “Right now I don’t have an opponent in particular. All I want is the title. I want the title, so any fight that gets me close is the fight I want.”
