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17-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. on verge of UFC history after signing to fight on Dana White’s Contender Series

Raul Rosas Jr. has already made history and is on the verge of more.

Rosas Jr. (5-0) is only 17 yet Monday he inked a contract to compete Sept. 20 on Dana White’s Contender Series against fellow bantamweight contender Mando Gutierrez (7-1) for a UFC contract. Should he earn a deal from the promotional brass, Rosas Jr. will become the youngest fighter in UFC history, shattering the previous record of 19 held by Chase Hooper.

A person with knowledge of the booking Tuesday informed MMA Junkie of the matchup but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. The bout was first reported by ESPN Deportes.

In order to be licensed in the state of Nevada, fighters must be 18-38 years old. However, according to NAC 467.017, special licenses may be granted to those outside the age range with special commission approval.

The law reads, “If an applicant for a license to engage in unarmed combat or an unarmed combatant has… not reached 18 years of age… the applicant or unarmed combatant must have his or her application for a license or for renewal of a license reviewed by the Commission or, if time does not permit and no concerns about the application have been raised by the Executive Director or any Commissioner, reviewed by the Chair or the Chair’s designee, so that his or her qualifications may be considered before the license is issued or renewed.”

Signed parental permission and written endorsements from MMA community members accompanied Rosas Jr.’s license request to the Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC). Rosas Jr. is trained by his father Raul Rosas Sr.

Rosas Jr. has solely competed in Mexico to date for Ultimate Warrior Challenge (UWC). In five professional fights, Rosas Jr. has five finishes – four in the first round. His opponent Gutierrez is a standout in his own right. Outside of a loss to Mo Miller in September 2020, has largely dominated his competition with six finishes in seven victories.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie