All things 'Chiwiwis': UFC's Raul Rosas Jr. explains origin, usage of latest addition to MMA lexicon
There are very few additions to the MMA lexicon, but every now and then a word or saying earns a spot on the exclusive list. Well, ladies and gentlemen, the time has come to officially welcome something new.
Raul Rosas Jr.’s “Chiwiwis” has taken the MMA world by storm, and after hearing it echo in chants at the Sphere during UFC 306, it’s safe to say it’s here to stay.
“Chiwiwis” joins Alex Pereira’s “chama,” George St-Pierre’s “I’m not impressed by your performance,” Jorge Masvidal’s “three-piece and a soda,” and many others as official MMA phrases. But what does “Chiwiwis” actually mean? Where did it originate? How is it properly used? Those are just some of the questions fans are wondering about given the novelty of the word.
Here at MMA Junkie, we went straight to the source to get answers.
The origin of ‘Chiwiwis’
“Chiwiwis” was kind of born out of thin air, quite literally.
Earlier this year, Rosas found himself training 10,662 feet above sea level in Mexico’s famous Centro Ceremonial Otomí – an ancient Aztec complex built in the mountains outside of Mexico City. Rosas was getting ready to fight Ricky Turcios at UFC Fight Night 237 in Mexico City, and it was in that training camp where “Chiwiwis” became a thing.
“A really close friend of mine, who’s basically like a brother to me, we spend a lot of time together, he would say it all the time, and it stuck with me,” Rosas told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “It really got off when I had a training camp in Centro Ceremonial Otomí. It’s on a mountain, and there’s no service, so all you can do is train and play ping pong and things like that to pass time. So whenever he’d beat us at a game he’d go, ‘Chiwiwis,’ or whenever we’d be messing around. It just stuck.”
Although “Chiwiwis” was coined in February, it wasn’t exposed to the MMA world until June. Rosas fell ill hours before his bout against Turcios in Mexico and was unable to fight that night. But maybe that was for the better as it gave time for “Chiwiwis” to brew among Rosas and his close friends.
The UFC would re-book Rosas vs. Turcios on the main card of UFC on ESPN 57 on June 8. Looking to put behind the hiccup in Mexico, “El Niño Problema” shined that night in arguably the best performance of his UFC career, quickly submitting “The Ultimate Fighter 29” winner in less than three minutes. And just when you thought Rosas couldn’t top off the moment, then came his in-cage, post-fight interview.
“After my fight, I didn’t even have it planned or anything,” Rosas recalled. “I had won, and I was very happy with everything that went down, and it just came out and people loved it.”
‘Chiwiwis’ blows up
Soon after Rosas dropped “Chiwiwis” in the octagon, all social media platforms were overtaken by the clips of his post-fight interview at UFC on ESPN 57, but it wasn’t just a thing of the moment. The following day it was a big talking point in podcasts, memes and around social media. It was something Rosas didn’t expect.
“Yeah, totally,” Rosas said when asked if he was surprised by its virality. “When I said it, I did think people would get excited, but people were actually confused like, ‘What did this dude just say?’ I continued my speech and all that, and I didn’t make much of it.
“The next day, I see that it went viral and everyone was asking and dying to know what it meant and all that. I was like, ‘Wow, people really like this.’ I kind of ignored it and then people kept asking me for shirts and about the word, and I was like, ‘OK, let’s do this.'”
“Chiwiwis” became a staple of Rosas and it’s now even trademarked. He can’t do an interview without being asked about it, and fans can’t seem to get enough of it – which is why merch had to be made.
“Honestly, it’s gone very well,” Rosas said about the business side of “Chiwiwis.” “Everyone is supporting me. The truth is that I did it for the people. They all wanted me to release shirts the second I said the word. The whole gang was asking me where they could get shirts.
“I didn’t have plans on doing it, but I thought, ‘Well, if I don’t do it, someone else will.’ So I got on that. I called my friend, who invented the word, and between both of us we’ve been putting in the work and developing the brand. We’ve been doing really well, and I’m so thankful for everyone that supports me in everything I do.”
@raulrosasjr8 All the love i get from the fans #fypage #foryou #foryoupage #chiwiwisss #fan #fans
♬ original sound – Raul Rosas Jr
The meaning of ‘Chiwiwis’
Now we know where “Chiwiwis” came from and the impact it’s had in MMA. However, all of that is useless unless fans know what it actually means and how to properly use it.
Rosas and his friend define “Chiwiwis” as a word of excitement and joy. It’s mainly used to confirm a positive outcome, but it can also be used to simply cheer people up given its playful nature.
“It’s a word that shows excitement and happiness,” Rosas said. “It’s also a word that’s just fun and can make people’s day. It makes them laugh, and that’s awesome.”
To provide more context, Rosas was kind enough to share an example of its usage for MMA Junkie.
“If your friend is like, ‘Should I text this girl?’ and you go, ‘Yeah, go ahead,” and then the girl responds, you can say, ‘Chiwiwis,’ because you’re excited.”