Raul Rosas Jr. made quick work of Jay Perrin as he submitted him in the very first round in a historic fight at UFC 282 inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The 18-year-old fighter looked flawless in his UFC debut in the UFC’s Bantamweight division.
THE HYPE IS REAL!!! RAUL ROSAS JR. GETS IT DONE IN THE FIRST ROUND!!! #UFC282 pic.twitter.com/fKOmviRL0m
— UFC (@ufc) December 11, 2022
Wow! Super impressive and flawless win for Rosas! Perrin fought out of a tough position a few times but the grappling level of Rosas is higher than most of the UFC roster TODAY! Except the UFC Bantamweight Champ of course 🙃 #UFC282
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 11, 2022
Luckily for me, I’ll be gone to 145 lbs by time this savage gets to fight for the belt! Good luck, young stud! #UFC282
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) December 11, 2022
Heading into the fight, Rosas looked incredibly strong against experienced Jay Perris, taking him down in the very first minute. He then followed it up with great patience, transitioning to the back and eventually getting the rear naked choke for the victory.
Reactions poured in quickly from the UFC fans and fighters, with Aljamain Sterling giving high praise to the 18-year-old fighter. The current UFC Bantamweight Champion expressed he feels lucky he would retire by the time Rosas Jr. fights for the gold, and claimed that his grappling is better than most of the UFC roster today.
Dana should check his grades at school first before giving the 50 gs
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 11, 2022
Is the boy becoming a man tonight?
— Aleksandar Rakic (@rakic_ufc) December 11, 2022
Dana, he needs 50K so he can buy his mom a minivan and she can drive him to the PI. WOOO.pic.twitter.com/E5fpq60ZUh
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) December 11, 2022
Joe Rogan, Daniel Cormier, and Joe Anik were left short of words as the fighter from New Mexico brought the entire arena to its knees with the emphatic performance. “I need that 50Gs so I can buy my mother a minivan and she can give me a ride to the PI” Rosas Jr. said in the post-fight Octagon interview.
Wow! Rosas Jr.#UFC282
— Charles ‘DoBronxs’ Oliveira (@CharlesDoBronxs) December 11, 2022
He’s gonna be the coolest high schooler ever and he doesn’t even have a license
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) December 11, 2022
On an interesting note, Rosas Jr. was born 6 months after Robbie Lawler and Nick Diaz fought at UFC 47. Former UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira also took to social media to congratulate the young man. Belal Muhammad was hilarious as usual, as he shared his thoughts on the rising contender.
What’s next for Raul Rosas Jr.?
It’s safe to say, Rosas Jr. will look to make a quick turnaround considering he did not suffer any injuries in this fight. Moreoever, it would help him grow his stock more. As for who he could face in his next UFC fight, one would assume it would be an unranked opponent to give the 18-year-old fighter time to grow and learn.
It will be interesting to see how Raul Rosas Jr.’s UFC career as he continues his MMA journey. What are your thoughts on the 18-year-old, the youngest fighter in UFC history? Do let us know in the comments section.
