Raul Rosas Jr. has a plan in place as he enters 2024 after rebounding from defeat and still the youngest fighter on the UFC roster.
Despite being just 19 years old and having plenty of time to carry on with his career, Rosas Jr. (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has set an ambitious goal for himself: to fight for a spot in the UFC bantamweight rankings at next year’s Noche UFC.
“I want to be very active, that way by staying active I can be in a position to be fighting for a spot in the rankings on Sept. 16,” Rosas Jr. told MMA Junkie in Spanish regarding his goal for 2024.
“I want to be in this next one (Noche UFC) hopefully. I hear that they’re going to have it at the Sphere. I want to stay active, and when that moment comes, I want to be fighting for a spot in the top 15 rankings, God willing.”
The UFC did its first show celebrating Mexican Independence Day this past Sept. 16 in Las Vegas. UFC CEO Dana White assured that this will be an annual event for the company.
Having fought in the inaugural Noche UFC and defeating Terrence Mitchell by first-round TKO, Rosas Jr. hopes the UFC keeps placing him on these events that honor his heritage.
When asked who he’d think he could potentially face next year, Rosas Jr. didn’t have a specific name given the volatile nature of the division.
“I don’t have any specific name, but I feel I can fight with the best, so I’m willing to fight against anybody,” Rosas Jr. said. “It’s hard to say who I want to fight against because the division is way too stacked, and you just see fighters jumping in and out of the rankings.
“I know that if I fight someone in the rankings next Sept. 16, the rankings are going to look much different than now, so I’m just going to have to wait for now.”
