White Signs 17 Year-Old ‘Contender Series’ Phenom

UFC President Dana White didn’t waste any time locking up 17 year-old bantamweight phenom Raul Rosas Jr., who improved to 6-0 with a unanimous decision victory over Mando Gutierrez at the promotion’s “Contender Series” proving ground last Tues. night (Sept. 20) inside APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“There was nothing to even discuss. We didn’t even talk about it back there. … I’ve never seen anything like it,” White said at the post-fight press conference. “He’s absolutely positively talented, he’s special, he’s different. At 17 years old, you just don’t see kids that age handle themselves like that.”

A debut date for Rosas Jr. has yet to be determined but “El Niño Problema” turns 18 in just a few weeks so there shouldn’t be anything to keep him from popping up at some point before year’s end. And he’s got five years to break this coveted record held by former light heavyweight champion Jon Jones.

“I’m the new king in here, so I’m coming for that belt now,” Rosas Jr. said. “I will become the youngest UFC champion. If I could fight a top five in my UFC debut, I would, but I have to work my way up there, and I will be up there soon. I will become the youngest UFC champion when I’m like 19, 20, 21. It doesn’t matter.”

He’s not the first fighter to make that bold claim.

For complete “Contender Series” results and full play-by-play action click here.