Jacob Rosales predicts first-round finish at LFA 81

When it comes to lightweight Jacob Rosales’ 2019, the year was filled with both positives and negatives.

Following a third round submission win over Quinton McCottrell at FCOC 57 in March, Rosales suffered an injury which kept him out until right before he faced Jonathan Pearce at Dana White’s Contender Series in July, which ultimately resulted in a third round TKO loss.

“I was dominant; especially the last LFA fight; I was sharp,” Rosales told MMAWeekly.com. “I finally got the opportunity I was looking for on the Contender Series, but about four or five weeks before I broke my fibula and decided to still fight.

“I got my cast off the week before, still fought, but ended up coming up a little short. Everything other than breaking my leg was great.”

Rosales knows that injuries are a part of the sport, and he’s able to use what happened to him in July to help motivate him for 2020.

“Injuries are always there no matter what,” said Rosales. “You just kind of have to be ready for it. It just depends on who you are; are you going to fight through it or are you going to pull out; I use it more as a positive than anything.

“My mindset is different. I had that taste of where I wanted to be (at the Contender Series), but I came up short because of something that was out of my control. I know where I’m supposed to be, and I need to be in that spot again, and my plan is to hurt everyone until I get there.”

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This Friday in Costa Mesa, California, Rosales (11-5) will look to get back on track when he faces Salaiman Ahmadyar (7-1) in a main card 155-pound bout at LFA 81.

“He seems like a tough opponent, but I just feel like I’m on a whole different level,” Rosales said of facing Ahmadyar. “I’m going to go in there and finish him within the first round. I’m just too good right now.”

Having missed out on joining the UFC in 2019, Rosales feels like that step will happen this year, and possibly even after his bout at LFA 81.

“I write everything down, I speak everything verbally, and I let it out into the universe,” said Rosales. “By doing that it brings me more in tune with the universe and myself and where I want to be, instead of just speaking about it.

“My theory is after this fight (the UFC will) sign me. It’s one fight and then I’m in.”