Raul Rosas Jr. became the UFC's youngest signee by defeating The Ultimate Fighter standout coached by Conor McGregor
03/25/2025 04:38 PM
Raul Rosas Jr. was in high school when the UFC offered him a shot on Dana White’s Contender Series.
UFC bantamweight star Raul Rosas Jr. wasn’t considered a legal adult when he got the call to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series for a contract.
Rosas, who returns this weekend at UFC Mexico City, was 17 years old when he got the call from the UFC matchmakers to fight for a contract against Mando Gutierrez on DWCS. Gutierrez was a top pupil of Conor McGregor on The Ultimate Fighter 31, as McGregor and Michael Chandler battled as the season’s coaches.
Rosas became the UFC’s youngest signee by putting on one of the most dominant performances of his young career in front of Dana White and the matchmakers.
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17-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. secured a UFC job before graduating from high school
Rosas wasted no time settling in to the massive platform on DWCS in 2022. He was able to counter Gutierrez’s advances on the feet in the opening minutes of the fight, and once the action got to the ground, it was one-way traffic for Rosas.
Rosas was able to dominate most of the grappling exchanges against Gutierrez, while also landing nasty ground-and-pound strikes and turning Gutierrez’s face into a bloody mess. While he ran into a brief moment of trouble in Round 3, Rosas was able to showcase the maturity needed to win a tough unanimous decision.
Despite not being able to finish the fight, Rosas was awarded a UFC contract for his efforts, becoming the promotion’s youngest-ever signing. He was unbeaten through his first six professional fights when White offered him a contract.
The UFC’s decision to sign a teenager isn’t common in modern MMA. But the UFC’s vision for Rosas has largely paid off, as he’s won four of his five UFC fights, including a most-recent win over Aoriqileng at UFC 306.
Raul Rosas Jr.’s UFC career could abruptly end before he reaches his physical prime
Rosas wants to break Jon Jones‘s record as the UFC’s youngest champion, a deadline that is quickly approaching. An impressive win over Vince Morales this weekend could be enough to secure Rosas a Top 15 spot in the crowded bantamweight division.
Rosas is in the UFC for a good time, and potentially not a long time. Rosas wants to retire by age 25, a scenario unheard of in modern UFC history.
Rosas has bounced back nicely since suffering his first-career defeat to Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287. He’s won three consecutive fights, including wins over Ricky Turcios and Terrence Mitchell.
Rosas became the youngest to win a UFC fight when he finished Jay Perrin in his debut at UFC 282. He also took home a $50k post-fight performance bonus, a feat that likely made his high school classmates jealous.
