Dana White has described Raul Rosas Jr as “absolutely special” after the 17-year-old became the youngest fighter in UFC history to sign for the promotion.
The young bantamweight stole the show on Dana White’s Contender Series early on Wednesday, when he secured a unanimous decision win against Mando Gutierrez.
White offered Rosas Jr a contract before the conclusion of the show at the UFC Apex, with the teenager promptly accepting.
"I've never seen anything like it," White told reporters afterwards. "Not only that: the amount of fighters blowing me up saying, ‘You're crazy not to [sign him]. He's absolutely, positively talented. He's special. He's different."
Rosas Jr, who doesn’t turn 18 until October 8, dominated 25-year-old Gutierrez throughout, mostly through his impressive grappling. He almost finished his opponent in the first round with a seldom-used Suloev stretch submission.
Rosas Jr, whose professional record reads 6-0, had finished all of his previous opponents. Mexican-born, he fought in the UWC promotion in Tijuana, and trains out of Las Vegas.
"I knew I was going to get that contract," Rosas Jr told reporters after the win. "I've been saying it since the beginning. Since I was born, I knew this was going happen.
"Everybody shouldn't be surprised. I'm the new king in here, so I'm coming for that belt now. I'm going to be champion when I'm 20. Respect to everybody, but I'm going to be champion when I'm 20, or even earlier. Nobody is going to stop me."
White added: “What a war, what a technical fight it was. Both guys pushed themselves as hard as they could. And for a 17-year-old to conduct himself the way he did in this fight, I was blown away by it. Blown away.”
On whether Rosas Jr was too young to compete in the UFC, White said: “Not off what I just saw. After what I just saw, this kid is ready to fight in the UFC.
“I’m very, very impressed with this kid. He’s absolutely special.”
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Rating:4/5
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Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
Towering concerns
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Why are you, you?
Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
To return the many to the one.
A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
We are a twenty first century wonder.
Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
Come with questions, leave with visions.
We are the link between the past and the future.
Here, through art, new possibilities are born. And
new answers are given wings.
Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
Because together we create new worlds.
Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.
Ben Okri,
Top%2010%20most%20competitive%20economies
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
2017%20RESULTS%3A%20FRENCH%20VOTERS%20IN%20UK
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Winner: Secret Advisor, Tadhg O’Shea, Charlie Appleby.
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Winner: Plata O Plomo, Carlos Lopez, Susanne Berneklint.
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Salute The Soldier, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass.
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Winner: Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
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RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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March 12-16: Second Test, Karachi
March 21-25: Third Test, Lahore
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Saudi National Day
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
NYBL PROFILE
Company name: Nybl
Date started: November 2018
Founder: Noor Alnahhas, Michael LeTan, Hafsa Yazdni, Sufyaan Abdul Haseeb, Waleed Rifaat, Mohammed Shono
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Software Technology / Artificial Intelligence
Initial investment: $500,000
Funding round: Series B (raising $5m)
Partners/Incubators: Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 4, Dubai Future Accelerators Cohort 6, AI Venture Labs Cohort 1, Microsoft Scale-up
