18-Year-Old UFC Star Called Out By Analyst for Challenging Aljamain Sterling

Getty Aljamain Sterling & Joe Rogan

Champion-turned-analyst Daniel Cormier said 18-year-old star Raul Rosas Jr. displayed “youthful ignorance” when he said he could defeat UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling right now.

Rosas Jr. made his promotional debut last weekend at UFC 282 in Las Vegas, Nevada when he took out fellow 135-pounder Jay Perrin with a first-round face crank during the night’s preliminary card.

His successful debut came after his high-profile win against Mando Gutierrez on Dana White’s Contender Series in September. “El Nino Problema” has a professional mixed martial arts record of 7-0 and he is the youngest fighter to ever compete under the UFC banner.

When the Hispanic fighter spoke with Ariel Helwani on Monday’s “The MMA Hour,” Rosas Jr. said that he was talented enough to defeat the current 135-pound champion today. Well, Cormier gave his take on Rosas Jr.’s comments during his ESPN Show “DC & RC.” Although he had praise for El Nino Problema, “DC” also shared his skepticism that he could summit the bantamweight mountain at this stage of his career.

“Yesterday I heard him do an interview and say he could beat Aljamain Sterling today,” Cormier said. “I’m like, ‘Wait a minute.’ But again, youthful ignorance, because he believes he could be the champion right now. But I do believe that in time, there’s a lot of potential for Raul Rosas Jr. to be something very special in the UFC — especially being Mexican. RC, I’m telling you, the passion of the Hispanic fans: crazy. And he’s going to tap into that like all the great Mexican fighters that came before him.”

Rosas Jr. Said He Could ‘Finish Whoever Has the Belt’

When speaking on MMA Fighting’s program, Rosas Jr. shared his confidence that he could defeat any top-tier bantamweight who holds the belt, including Sterling.

“I don’t know what the plan is, but I hope they’re trying to fast track me because I’m ready,” Rosas said. “Like I said, if they offer me a fight for the UFC belt right now, I can not only go out there and win, but I can also finish whoever has the belt, which right now is Aljamain Sterling.

“That’s why my pro career, that’s what I’m saying, I didn’t take it slowly. I fought months back to back so I could be here. But if I knew that I wasn’t on the level, if I didn’t have nothing to offer to the table, I would have fought every four months, that way I could improve. The reason I’m fighting so actively — including the Dana White Contender Series not that long ago — I decided to make my UFC debut already because I’m ready for it all. If I knew I wasn’t on that level and I couldn’t hang with these fools — I’m not even looking at anybody, all I see is gold. If I know that I can’t be champion, I would slow down a little bit, but I know I can be champion right now if I was to fight for the belt right now. This is why I’m taking my career so quick, because I know I have everything to win that belt right now.”

Sterling Reacted to Rosas Jr.’s Comments Via Twitter

Rosas Jr.’s comments about taking the bantamweight throne didn’t go unnoticed by the king. Sterling took to Twitter, sharing MMA Fighting’s article about Rosas Jr.’s championship mindset, and the “Funk Master” tweeted: “They should make that fight next. I really think that Rosas will fu*k him up! I heard Cejudos out and Rosas is in!”

Sterling has been linked to former bantamweight and flyweight champion Henry Cejudo for his third title defense, and UFC president Dana White said at the UFC 282 post-fight press conference that it could happen in March.