Raul Rosas Jr. has already made history and is on the verge of more.
Rosas (5-0), who is just 17, signed Monday to fight Sept. 20 on Dana White’s Contender Series against fellow bantamweight Mando Gutierrez (7-1). A person with knowledge of the situation informed MMA Junkie of the matchup Tuesday but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. The bout was first reported by ESPN Deportes after Rosas shared the news on social media.
Should he earn a UFC contract, Rosas will become the youngest fighter in UFC history, shattering the previous record of 19 held by Chase Hooper, who also got his start in the UFC through the Contender Series.
In order to be licensed by the Nevada Athletic Commission, which oversees the Contender Series at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, fighters must be 18-38 years of age. However, according to NAC 467.017, special licenses may be granted to those outside the age range with special commission approval.
The law reads, “If an applicant for a license to engage in unarmed combat or an unarmed combatant has … not reached 18 years of age … the applicant or unarmed combatant must have his or her application for a license or for renewal of a license reviewed by the Commission or, if time does not permit and no concerns about the application have been raised by the Executive Director or any Commissioner, reviewed by the Chair or the Chair’s designee, so that his or her qualifications may be considered before the license is issued or renewed.”
Signed parental permission and written endorsements from MMA community members accompanied Rosas license request. Rosas is trained by his father, Raul Rosas Sr.
Rosas Jr. has competed only in Mexico to date for Ultimate Warrior Challenge (UWC). In five professional fights, Rosas Jr. has five finishes – four in the first round.
His opponent, Gutierrez, is a 25-year-old standout in his own right. Outside of a loss to Mo Miller in September 2020, Gutierrez has largely dominated his competition with six finishes in seven victories.
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