The UFC is returning to Mexico later this month on the 29th and last night we learned about a bantamweight contest that’ll go down on the card featuring one of the best prospects in the sport. 20-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. (10-1) will look to pick up his fifth win inside the octagon as he takes on Vince Morales (16-9). ESPN Deportes first reported the booking last night.
Starting with Morales, this is a big fight for him because his back is against the wall in his second run in the UFC. After losing a fight on The Contender Series in 2018, Morales picked up a win in Bellator and then he was brought back to the octagon where he lost to Song Yadong in his promotional debut.
After going 3-5, he was cut from the promotion. He did have a win over Aimann Zahabi and a knockout over Luis Smolka during that first run. On the regional scene, Morales won five fights in a row which included becoming the UFL bantamweight champion.
The UFC brought him back in last September and he’s already fought twice but he’s lost both fights. He just lost a couple of weeks ago to Elijah Smith and he’s turning around quickly trying to avoid getting cut a second time from the promotion.
UFC Mexico
We were all introduced to Raul Rosas Jr. on The Contender Series back in 2022. What made him so compelling was the fact that he made his debut on the show when he was just 17-years-old and his parents had to sign off on him competing for a contract.
After winning, the UFC decided to sign him. He dominated and submitted Jay Perrin in his promotional debut just a couple of months later. Rosas Jr. did suffer a setback in his second fight where he lost a decision to Christian Rodriguez after he got incredibly tired following the first round.
It was a great learning experience for Rosas Jr. who was just 18 at the time. Since that first loss, Rosas Jr. has fought three times and he’s gone 3-0 with two finishes. Most recently, he beat Aoriqileng back in September at Noche UFC. He’s hoping to get a big win in front of his home country in a few weeks and if he’s able to do so, he might not be far off from fighting for a ranking.