Raul Rosas Jr. to Make Second UFC Appearance at UFC 287, Faces Christian Rodriguez

Ultimate Fighting Championship youngster Raul Rosas Jr. may get in three fights in the promotion before his 19th birthday at this rate.

The news first broke on Thursday from Eurosport Nederland that Rosas Jr. (7-0) will be returning to the Octagon in April. At UFC 287 on April 8, “El Nino Problema” will square off against Christian Rodriguez (8-1) in the bantamweight division. The destination for this fight card is not yet official, as it could take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, but Miami has also been discussed as a possible location. Rodriguez confirmed this pairing on Instagram shortly after its announcement.

Rosas burst onto the scene courtesy of a dominant, contract-winning performance on the 2022 season of Dana White's Contender Series. At the age of 17, Rosas handled Mango Gutierrez to earn what is still his only decision as a pro. His debut went swimmingly, as he hit a face crank on Jay Perrin without even needing to complete the rear-naked choke to get the tap. Five of the Mexican fighter's seven wins have come in the opening frame.

Standing across from the 18-year-old will be Rodriguez, who earned his first UFC victory in October 2022. Like Rosas, Rodriguez showed up on an episode of the Contender Series, and his win on the scorecards over Reyes Cortez Jr. proved to be not enough to earn a place on the roster. A 63-second win over Ryan McIntosh – one where he won the fight simply by taking mount, without needing to land ground-and-pound or lock up a submission before his foe tapped out – earned him a short-notice callup to the UFC. Rodriguez lost to Jonathan Pearce in that outing, only to bounce back eight months later with a first-round anaconda choke of Joshua Weems. “CeeRod” celebrates a finish rate a tick above his prospective opponent’s, sitting at 87% compared to Rosas’ 86%.

UFC 287 on April 8 currently has no official location on the books, although it is rumored to be held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. No headliner is set for its billing as of now, with only four other matches confirmed thus far. The highest tilt on the card comes in the bantamweight division, as Rob Font takes on Adrian Yanez. The other three tilts include a strawweight scrap between Michelle Waterson-Gomez and Luana Pinheiro, another match at 115 pounds pitting Lupita Godinez against Cynthia Calvillo, and a lightweight contest as Ignacio Bahamondes takes on Nikolas Motta.