Raul Rosas Jr. explains why he’s open to an unranked opponent next under the right circumstances
Raul Rosas Jr. knows he’s ready for ranked competition but he’s also trusting in the UFC to do right by him.
Following a win over Aoriqileng at UFC 306, the 19-year-old prospect immediately called for a top 15 opponent but that’s not a demand. Instead, Rosas just wants the chance to propel his career forward with hopes that he’ll eventually find himself in title contention.
“If I would have went out there and got the finish, I would for sure have a good argument to get a top 15 [opponent],” Rosas told MMA Fighting. “I want a top 15 [opponent] but if my next fight is not against a top 15 fighter, I want somebody that the UFC would be like ‘if you beat this guy, we’ll give you a ranked opponent next.’ But either way, I want to be that close.
“I just want fights that will get me closer to the belt. I don’t want to fight somebody that I’ll just beat and I stay in the same spot. I want to beat somebody that will get me way closer to the belt.”
Rosas has long stated that he wants to become UFC champion but he also acknowledges that he’s got plenty of time to get there.
While beating a ranked opponent would certainly speed along that process, Rosas realizes that there are plenty of UFC veterans without a number next to their name that still count as a quality win.
Facing a veteran like Aoriqileng with nearly 40 fights on his record gave Rosas some valuable experience but now he just wants the chance to step up to the next rung on the ladder when it comes to the hierarchy in the UFC’s bantamweight division.
“That’s the ultimate goal,” Rosas said about becoming UFC champion. “Regardless, I’m still getting more experienced. Every fight I’m getting better and better.
“Like this fight, I took it as a way to get more experience because it was a step up in competition. He was the best fighter that I fought so far. He was like a veteran, he was able to stay relaxed and he’s got power in his hands, good takedown defense so it was a step up in competition but the right step up. If I get another fight like that, the right step up then I’ll take it.”
When it comes to timing, Rosas admits that he would love to get one more fight before the end of the year but he’s not ready to commit to a date just yet with some lingering injuries that need to heal.
“I’m not 100 percent healthy,” Rosas said. “I have a few injuries from the fight, I injured my knee a little bit. It’s getting better. But I had injuries before the fight and they’re still messed up. I’m going to try to heal those up and once I get healed up, I’ll book a fight.
“I do want to fight in December but if I book it right now, I don’t want to risk to have to pull out because I haven’t recovered. So I want to make sure I recover 100 percent and then I’ll book a fight.”
If December doesn’t happen, Rosas revealed that he probably won’t fight again until at least April 2025 because he wants to enjoy some time with his family around the holidays. Like most teenagers his age, Rosas would really love a Christmas break, especially after missing out this past year.
“I’ll be honest, I don’t want to fight January, February or March,” Rosas said. “If I do get one in, I want it to be this year or a little bit after March. Because I want to be able to enjoy Christmas.
“Last year, I didn’t get to enjoy it because I had a fight in February so I had to train all December and January. Even though the fight didn’t happen because I got sick the day of the fight but I had been training since December. I’m not going to lie, it kind of sucked so this year I want to enjoy Christmas.”
Rosas expects to know within a couple weeks whether or not he’ll be healthy enough to fight again in 2024, especially with a potential grappling match on the horizon in October.
“I’m already training,” Rosas said. “I’m already in camp because I think I have a big grappling match coming up, a big name, but obviously I can’t really say [yet], nothing’s signed, nothing’s confirmed yet but I got the offer and I said yes. We’ll see if that goes through and that will happen Oct. 26.”