It remains unclear if Rosas Jr. will live up to the considerable
hype placed upon him as a teenager, but he’s taking some
interesting steps. Signed off the Contender Series at 17 and making
his UFC debut at 18, “El Nino Problema” fought with a fairly simple
approach, quickly looking for takedowns and hunting for submissions
that he almost always found. However, when Rosas Jr. hit a ceiling,
he hit it hard against Christian
Rodriguez, gassing out badly after a hot first round and losing
a one-sided decision. The good news? Rodriguez has gone on to make
himself known as a prospect-killer, which has made that loss age
particularly well, but there was the worry that Rosas Jr. didn’t
learn much from the experience. His next two fights saw him once
again go balls to the wall in hunting for a finish, which worked
both times. That makes his sudden pivot against Qileng Aori
in September quite interesting. The first round was Rosas Jr.
engaging in his typical wrestling-heavy affair, but he spent the
last two rounds striking from range against a neutralized opponent.
It wasn’t the prettiest fight or the most effective approach, as
Rosas Jr. still has a lot to learn in pouring things on effectively
as a striker. However, it should help him continue to develop some
poise and energy management, especially since, as a promotional
favorite who’s still raw, he’s in danger of getting pushed in over
his head at any moment. That probably won’t be the case against
Morales, even though the Syndicate MMA rep remains a perennial
tough out in his second UFC stint.
Morales is a fighter destined to bounce between the UFC and the
regional scene for as long as he keeps doing this. He’s a dedicated
counterstriker with some solid wrestling and grappling in his back
pocket—a well-honed enough combination to run through lower-level
opposition but with enough gaps that he struggles against better or
more dedicated athletes. Morales’ last bout against Elijah
Smith was a winnable fight against a raw prospect that barely
went the other way, so it’s understandable that he would take a
six-week turnaround to wash the proverbial taste out of his mouth.
With that said, Rosas Jr. should be able to stay ahead of things
here, particularly if this winds up on the mat. The pick is Rosas
Jr. via second-round submission.
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