18-year-old prospect Raul Rosas Jr. fell short for the first time in his career Saturday night.
Christian Rodriguez upset Rosas via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) in a bantamweight bout, which opened up the UFC 287 pay-per-view main card in Miami.
Rosas controlled Rodriguez in the first round, attempting to submit him with a rear-naked choke. But then Rosas slowed down and grew more reckless. Rodriguez took over in the last two rounds, dominating his younger opponent with grappling en route to a clear-cut victory.
Rosas, the youngest fighter in UFC history, signed with the promotion after a win on Dana White's Contender Series last September. He debuted in December and earned an impressive first-round submission of Jay Perrin at UFC 282. Rosas, who has competed in professional MMA since November 2021, falls to 7-1 as a pro.
The 25-year-old Rodriguez, who trains out of Roufusport in Milwaukee, is now 2-1 in the UFC and 9-1 professionally.
