At just 18 years old, Raul Rosas Jr is set to make UFC history again.
Earlier this year, the bantamweight became the youngest UFC signing at 17 – eclipsing former record holder Dan Lauzon who was 18.
When Rosas Jr faces Jay Perrin on December 11 at UFC 282, he’ll become the youngest fighter to compete on a main card.
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The high schooler has high hopes, and plenty of time, to become the youngest champion too.
Jon Jones defeated Mauricio Rua for the light-heavyweight title at 23 years old in UFC 128 more than a decade ago.
“Not in five years – I’m going to be champion when I’m 20 or 21 at the latest,” Rosas Jr told BBC Sport.
“I’m trying to challenge myself and see how fast I can do it, because I believe if I was to fight the champion tomorrow, I would finish him.
“When I get in the cage I feel free. Everything goes away.
“I’m having fun with it and I’m excited to make my UFC debut and go out there and put on a show.”
Rosas Jr was signed to the UFC after appearing in competition president Dana White’s Contender Series.
The series, which is not part of the UFC, acts as a platform for fighters to be signed to the top of MMA.
Despite his age, it’s been a long time coming for Rosa Jr who knew at a young age that he wanted to be a fighter.
Hailing from New Mexico, he and his family moved to California to pursue further training – then just 12 years old.
“Everything was so expensive, so me and my family had 12 people living in one small apartment at one point,” Rosas Jr said.
“Then we started progressing a little bit more and got an apartment with more room, and then two rooms, and then more.
“When I was in New Mexico, we would drive an hour and a half to training and on the way back I would sleep in the car,” he said.
“I was hardly home so I had to do it somewhere. In California, I would kind of do my homework in class, or the next day in the morning.”
Jan Błachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev headline UFC 282, which features a co-main fight between Paddy Pimblett and Jared Gordon.
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