MMA: Raul Rosas Jr to become the youngest UFC fighter in history

Rosas Jr has finished his hostile successful 5 of his six nonrecreational wins

At 18 years old, Raul Rosas Jr is already a UFC record-breaker.

When the American faces Jay Perrin astatine UFC 282 successful Las Vegas, Nevada, adjacent week helium volition go the youngest to vie connected a main card.

But America's Rosas Jr wants much - helium wants to go the youngest UFC champion successful history.

That grounds is presently held by Jon Jones, who astatine the property of 23, defeated Mauricio Rua for the light-heavyweight title.

"Not successful 5 years - I'm going to beryllium champion erstwhile I'm 20 oregon 21 astatine the latest," Rosas Jr told BBC Sport.

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"I'm trying to situation myself and spot however accelerated I tin bash it, due to the fact that I judge if I was to combat the champion tomorrow, I would decorativeness him."

California's Rosas Jr, who has won each six of his nonrecreational fights, was signed by the UFC pursuing his show successful president Dana White's Contender Series, wherever helium bushed Mando Gutierrez by unanimous decision.

The Contender Series is tally by White but abstracted to the UFC, nevertheless fighters who impressment connected the amusement often extremity up signing contracts with the UFC.

In joining the organisation aged 17, helium bushed the erstwhile grounds held by America's Dan Lauzon, who was 18 erstwhile helium signed.

Despite warring astatine specified a young property with career-changing opportunities connected the line, Rosas Jr does not consciousness immoderate pressure.

"When I get successful the cage I consciousness free. Everything goes away," helium said.

"I'm having amusive with it and I'm excited to marque my UFC debut and spell retired determination and enactment connected a show."

'I'm inactive astatine schoolhouse - I'm trying to fig it out'

Rosas Jr's begetter utilized to beryllium an MMA fighter, arsenic did 1 of his brothers

From the property of four, Rosas Jr knew helium wanted to beryllium a mixed martial artist.

Watching his begetter combat successful their past hometown of Clovis successful New Mexico, soaking successful the ambiance of the fans screaming his name, was the infinitesimal that convinced him of his future.

At the property of 12, helium and his household moved to California truthful helium could advancement successful his grooming due to the fact that helium had outgrown the gyms successful New Mexico.

Rosas Jr describes the determination arsenic the astir challenging clip of his life.

"Everything was truthful expensive, truthful maine and my household had 12 radical surviving successful 1 tiny flat astatine 1 point," helium said.

"Then we started progressing a small spot much and got an flat with much room, and past 2 rooms, and past more."

Throughout his life, Rosas Jr has struggled to successfully integrate his grooming alongside his schoolhouse commitments.

"When I was successful New Mexico, we would thrust an hr and a fractional to grooming and connected the mode backmost I would slumber successful the car," helium said.

"I was hardly location truthful I had to bash it somewhere. In California I would benignant of bash my homework successful class, oregon the adjacent time successful the morning."

He is presently successful his elder twelvemonth astatine precocious schoolhouse and, contempt earning a UFC contract, his mum inactive wants him to graduate.

"I haven't been going to schoolhouse [recently] but I'm trying to fig that out."

'I don't privation to beryllium similar different fighters'

Rosas Jr says helium is not inspired by different MMA fighters, but erstwhile interim UFC lightweight champion Tony Ferguson is his favourite.

"He is different. His style, helium cuts everybody unfastened and it's comic to maine the things helium says, helium doesn't effort to beryllium similar idiosyncratic else," said Rosas Jr.

"I similar his benignant of fighting, however helium mixes it up and however he's originative with it."

Despite his admiration for Ferguson's style, Rosas Jr doesn't privation to emulate him - helium is focussed connected creating his ain legacy.

"I similar however helium is but I privation to beryllium different," helium said.

"I astonishment myself sometimes. When I ticker my movie I don't adjacent cognize however I did immoderate moves."