At just 18 years of age, Raul Rosas Jr. will feature on the main card of UFC PPV this weekend as UFC 287 goes down in Miami, Florida. Quite an achievement! Raul Rosas Jr. has a lot riding on him, and he stands to lose it all if he comes up short against his next opponent, Christian Rodriguez, at UFC 287.
It’s either a tale akin to Jon Jones, where there is glory and gold, or Sage Northcutt, a downfall from which there is no coming back. Raul Rosas Jr. definitely has the fans’ attention. Meanwhile, Christian Rodriguez will look to steal Raul’s hype with a win this weekend.
Raul Rosas Jr. vs Christian Rodriguez stats
Stats | Raul Rosas Jr. | Christian Rodriguez |
---|---|---|
Wins | 7 | 8 |
Losses | 0 | 1 |
Height | 1.75 m | 1.7 m |
Division | Bantamweight | Bantamweight |
Reach | 170 cm | 182 cm |
Age | 18 | 25 |
UFC 287: Raul Rosas Jr. vs Christian Rodriguez prediction
As it stands right now, we haven’t seen much of Raul Rosas Jr. to really understand his fighting style. But one thing is clear: the 18-year-old likes to wrestle. He is quite unorthodox and, at the moment, fearless! This could very well play in favor of Rosas Jr., who has dominated each of his opponents leading up to this fight.
As for Christian Rodriguez, the 25-year-old has been nothing less than spectacular too. He is 1-1 inside the UFC Octagon and put on an absolute masterclass in his last fight against Joshua Weems back in October 2022.
“I’m going to put a hell of a performance to open up the card.”
Raul Rosas Jr wants to keep the ball rolling at #UFC287 🔊🆙
— UFC News (@UFCNews) April 5, 2023
This one is hard to predict owing to the lack of experience of both fighters. However, if we simply look at the stats, they favor Christian Rodriguez. The 25-year-old has a massive 12-inch reach advantage and could potentially ruin Raul Rosas Jr.’s dream run in the UFC. However, for someone who is looking to wrestle, it makes little difference.
Can Raul close the distance and get the takedown for a quick finish? A lot will depend on Raul’s ability to dictate the pace of the fight because if Rodriguez is able to keep Raul on the back foot and pressure him, it’s going to be a tough night for the 18-year-old. And we think that will be the case this weekend.
Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez prediction: Christian Rodriguez via Unanimous Decision