When Raul Rosas Jr. made his UFC debut at UFC 282 against Jay Perrin, he did not just step inside the Octagon—he made history. At the tender age of 18,  ‘El Nino Problema’ became the youngest fighter to compete in the UFC- a milestone that turned heads and sparked excitement among the fans.

With his 10-1 record and an extraordinary ability to control the pace of his fights, it’s clear that he isn’t just a case of luck by chance—he is a fighter with a future as promising as his present. In addition to this, Rosas Jr. overcame childhood bullying and a battle with addiction- a hurdle many would succumb to, let alone make it a fuel to become a fighter. While he is already earning his stripes in the UFC, he has another ‘secret’ to the success. What can it be? Let’s see!

Raul Rosas Jr. defends himself from accusations of being a ‘spy’

Raul Rosas Jr.’s main abode for training is his garage where he trains with his father but the 20-year-old is always hungry for more knowledge. Seeking to expand his skill set, he has trained alongside top fighters, including Team O’Malley, under the guidance of Sean O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch. 

However, was his training smooth? Looks like O’Malley floated an accusation toward the Mexican fighter according to Bradley Martyn. During an episode of Raw Talk, ‘El Nino Problema’ was interrogated on whether he was a ‘spy’ or not. “I saw a clip of Tim Welch ‘Sugar’ Sean’s coach, and boy talking about like how someone said that you were a spy because he went to go train at the Academy where he trains at? Did you see that clip?” asked Martyn.

While masking any nervousness that he might have had after this question, the young bantamweight prospect decided to clarify his stance. He said, “Nah like I said, like for example I told you training at my garage right? So I use my platform to try to reach out to some people to train to learn, you know? Cause I’m trying to be the best. So I was in Arizona checking out the gyms over there and I knew I heard like Tim Welch and Sean O’Malley were over there. So I hit up Tim Welch and said hey like can I train?”

He gave an interesting explanation to not create any misunderstandings with the former bantamweight champion. Rosas Jr. clarified, “Because I didn’t want to just show up because I know that like they have seen me spar Merab. And I always record everything even that day in that gym like I went versus a lot of good people. And I got tapped a few times, you know. So I’m glad that I got it on tape because I can see like oh like my mistakes. But I mean, I guess Sean O’Malley was right I should’ve asked.”

Well, it makes sense for ‘Suga’ to accuse the Mexican of acting as a spy for his arch-nemesis, Merab Dwalishvili. However, Rosas Jr. came clean on the entire matter and realized where O’Malley’s accusations stemmed from. But with this, we also got to know the secret behind Raul Rosas Jr.’s rapid rise—he records his training sessions to identify mistakes and make adjustments, always refining his skills to become a well-rounded fighter. Let’s take a closer look at how the young prodigy trains to stay ahead of the competition.

Raul Rosas Jr’s. training coach and regime

Raul Rosas Sr., the fighter’s father works very closely with the son and helps him nourish his fighting skills. Rosas Jr. and his brother Jessie started training with their idol, from a young age. Rosas Sr. helped the UFC fighter develop his ground time and boxing skills which are of key importance during fights. In the official video released by UFC on their UFC Connected show, the 20-year-old gave the fans a glimpse of his early life. 

He divulged, “I started training when I was 17 years old because I got bullied a lot at my elementary school. So I started training, and I liked it. My mother sent me from Mexico City to New Mexico with her family because I was not doing well. I was drinking a lot. I would fight on the streets every day so my mother decided to send me here.”

The Mexican rookie knows the sacrifices his family made to enable him to reach the top—and he is beyond thankful for it. During one of his discussions with MMA Junkie, he said, “I’m very grateful for my parents.” He also thanked his mother Oyuki Rios- the woman behind him getting to his practice sessions on time and having the best nourishment to become an unbeatable champ one day.

Rosas Jr. tried to persuade Dana White to give him a post-fight bonus after he won at UFC 282. Revealing why he needed it, Rosas Jr said, “I need them 50G’s so I can buy my mother a minivan, and she can give me a ride to the PI!” during his post-fight interview. Rosas Jr. did not possess a driver’s license at that time, and his mother used to take him to practice sessions so that he didn’t miss any sessions.

The fighter’s mother did numerous part-time jobs to help with the payments. The goal of becoming a UFC champion is still the main objective, and he is moving toward it with his family. With this dedication and perseverance towards the sport, do you think Raul Rosas Jr. can one day become a champion? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.