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Sean O’Malley wasn’t surprised by the outcome of Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287 this past weekend (April 8, 2023).
The Bantamweight division is an ever-expanding pool of talent in and out of UFC. Several of the promotion’s newest rising stars in recent years have come from Dana White’s Contender Series, including the likes of both the No. 2-ranked contender, O’Malley, and 18-year-old prospect, Rosas.
Unfortunately for Rosas, he suffered his first career setback this past weekend, opening the main card opposite the aforementioned Rodriguez. After a strong start in round one, Rosas faded a bit down the stretch and was ultimately out-grappled by his opponent en route to a unanimous decision loss.
“There’s definitely guys in the division that he can go out there and beat,” O’Malley said of Rosas on his TimboSugarShow podcast (h/t MMA Junkie). “I don’t even think he needs to go out there and get a win. He needs to go out there and get better. Take two years off. Lift. F—king grind. … I think he should stay at 135. Just don’t fight for a couple of years. Get good. Just improve everywhere [and] come back.”
Rosas made his Octagon debut this past Dec. 2022, earning an impressive first-round rear-naked choke submission against Jay Perrin (watch highlights) at UFC 282. Having been in a similar position and as confident as they come, O’Malley believes the loss can be a very valuable lesson for “El Nino Problema.”
“I called that. I said I think Christian Rodriguez is going to be too much,” O’Malley said. “[He] trains at a good f—king gym. Doesn’t mean Raul Rosas Jr. is done, but I mean, where do you go from here? Maybe you don’t even sign him at that age — you let him fight for two, three years, rack up some more wins. … But UFC, that’s the risk they’re willing to take. ‘Hey, we’re going to have a potential star.’ He still can be. I don’t know.
“I said he’s going to come out frantic, try to do what he does probably to most people at the gym: take him down, take their back, choke them,” he concluded. “But if not, he’s going to gas. He can’t keep that pace.”
For complete UFC 287 results and coverage click here.
Sean O’Malley wasn’t surprised by the outcome of Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287 this past weekend (April 8, 2023).
The Bantamweight division is an ever-expanding pool of talent in and out of UFC. Several of the promotion’s newest rising stars in recent years have come from Dana White’s Contender Series, including the likes of both the No. 2-ranked contender, O’Malley, and 18-year-old prospect, Rosas.
Unfortunately for Rosas, he suffered his first career setback this past weekend, opening the main card opposite the aforementioned Rodriguez. After a strong start in round one, Rosas faded a bit down the stretch and was ultimately out-grappled by his opponent en route to a unanimous decision loss.
“There’s definitely guys in the division that he can go out there and beat,” O’Malley said of Rosas on his TimboSugarShow podcast (h/t MMA Junkie). “I don’t even think he needs to go out there and get a win. He needs to go out there and get better. Take two years off. Lift. F—king grind. … I think he should stay at 135. Just don’t fight for a couple of years. Get good. Just improve everywhere [and] come back.”
Rosas made his Octagon debut this past Dec. 2022, earning an impressive first-round rear-naked choke submission against Jay Perrin (watch highlights) at UFC 282. Having been in a similar position and as confident as they come, O’Malley believes the loss can be a very valuable lesson for “El Nino Problema.”
“I called that. I said I think Christian Rodriguez is going to be too much,” O’Malley said. “[He] trains at a good f—king gym. Doesn’t mean Raul Rosas Jr. is done, but I mean, where do you go from here? Maybe you don’t even sign him at that age — you let him fight for two, three years, rack up some more wins. … But UFC, that’s the risk they’re willing to take. ‘Hey, we’re going to have a potential star.’ He still can be. I don’t know.
“I said he’s going to come out frantic, try to do what he does probably to most people at the gym: take him down, take their back, choke them,” he concluded. “But if not, he’s going to gas. He can’t keep that pace.”
For complete UFC 287 results and coverage click here.
Click here to view the article.
The Bantamweight division is an ever-expanding pool of talent in and out of UFC. Several of the promotion’s newest rising stars in recent years have come from Dana White’s Contender Series, including the likes of both the No. 2-ranked contender, O’Malley, and 18-year-old prospect, Rosas.
Unfortunately for Rosas, he suffered his first career setback this past weekend, opening the main card opposite the aforementioned Rodriguez. After a strong start in round one, Rosas faded a bit down the stretch and was ultimately out-grappled by his opponent en route to a unanimous decision loss.
“There’s definitely guys in the division that he can go out there and beat,” O’Malley said of Rosas on his TimboSugarShow podcast (h/t MMA Junkie). “I don’t even think he needs to go out there and get a win. He needs to go out there and get better. Take two years off. Lift. F—king grind. … I think he should stay at 135. Just don’t fight for a couple of years. Get good. Just improve everywhere [and] come back.”
Rosas made his Octagon debut this past Dec. 2022, earning an impressive first-round rear-naked choke submission against Jay Perrin (watch highlights) at UFC 282. Having been in a similar position and as confident as they come, O’Malley believes the loss can be a very valuable lesson for “El Nino Problema.”
“I called that. I said I think Christian Rodriguez is going to be too much,” O’Malley said. “[He] trains at a good f—king gym. Doesn’t mean Raul Rosas Jr. is done, but I mean, where do you go from here? Maybe you don’t even sign him at that age — you let him fight for two, three years, rack up some more wins. … But UFC, that’s the risk they’re willing to take. ‘Hey, we’re going to have a potential star.’ He still can be. I don’t know.
“I said he’s going to come out frantic, try to do what he does probably to most people at the gym: take him down, take their back, choke them,” he concluded. “But if not, he’s going to gas. He can’t keep that pace.”
For complete UFC 287 results and coverage click here.
Sean O’Malley wasn’t surprised by the outcome of Raul Rosas Jr. vs. Christian Rodriguez at UFC 287 this past weekend (April 8, 2023).
The Bantamweight division is an ever-expanding pool of talent in and out of UFC. Several of the promotion’s newest rising stars in recent years have come from Dana White’s Contender Series, including the likes of both the No. 2-ranked contender, O’Malley, and 18-year-old prospect, Rosas.
Unfortunately for Rosas, he suffered his first career setback this past weekend, opening the main card opposite the aforementioned Rodriguez. After a strong start in round one, Rosas faded a bit down the stretch and was ultimately out-grappled by his opponent en route to a unanimous decision loss.
“There’s definitely guys in the division that he can go out there and beat,” O’Malley said of Rosas on his TimboSugarShow podcast (h/t MMA Junkie). “I don’t even think he needs to go out there and get a win. He needs to go out there and get better. Take two years off. Lift. F—king grind. … I think he should stay at 135. Just don’t fight for a couple of years. Get good. Just improve everywhere [and] come back.”
Rosas made his Octagon debut this past Dec. 2022, earning an impressive first-round rear-naked choke submission against Jay Perrin (watch highlights) at UFC 282. Having been in a similar position and as confident as they come, O’Malley believes the loss can be a very valuable lesson for “El Nino Problema.”
“I called that. I said I think Christian Rodriguez is going to be too much,” O’Malley said. “[He] trains at a good f—king gym. Doesn’t mean Raul Rosas Jr. is done, but I mean, where do you go from here? Maybe you don’t even sign him at that age — you let him fight for two, three years, rack up some more wins. … But UFC, that’s the risk they’re willing to take. ‘Hey, we’re going to have a potential star.’ He still can be. I don’t know.
“I said he’s going to come out frantic, try to do what he does probably to most people at the gym: take him down, take their back, choke them,” he concluded. “But if not, he’s going to gas. He can’t keep that pace.”
For complete UFC 287 results and coverage click here.
Click here to view the article.
