This past Saturday on the main card of UFC Mexico, one of the best prospects in the sport was going for his fourth straight win. 20-year-old Raul Rosas Jr (11-1) took on Vince Morales (16-10) on the main card.
In this fight, Rosas Jr was the massive betting favorite. That said, he was in there with a guy who has fought some of the better contenders in the world. Morales has had experience fighting the likes of Song Yadong, Jonathan Martinez, Aimann Zahabi, and Chris Gutierrez. He had a UFC run a few years ago but was cut before winning five in a row on the regional scene.
He entered the octagon 0-2 since returning so he was desperate to get the win over Rosas Jr. However, that didn’t happen on Saturday night. Throughout the first two rounds, the grappling and pressure from Rosas Jr was too much for Morales. Morales nearly did finish the fight with a submission in the third, but Rosas Jr fought out of it to get the decision win at UFC Mexico.
What’s next after UFC Mexico?
After the win on Saturday night, Rosas Jr has won four fights in a row. The 20-year-old won a contract on The Contender Series back in 2022 and made his octagon debut when he was just 18. He’s gone 5-1 thus far and he’s definitely improving, but I don’t think there’s any reason to rush him at this point.
He’s not going to get a ranked opponent in his next fight, but I definitely think he deserves a step up in competition. In terms of potential opponents, I think you could look at guys like Chris Gutierrez or a Adrian Yanez for Rosas Jr next. I’ve seen some people say the UFC should book him against fellow prospect Payton Talbott.
However, I’m not a huge fan of making matchups against two top prospects as they’re improving. Save that matchup for down the road. Speaking of Talbott, perhaps a fight that they could book is Rosas Jr against the man who took Talbott’s 0 in Raoni Barcelos. Rosas Jr needs to be tested and any of the opponents listed would be solid steps up in terms of UFC competition.