"Big moment for the UFC" - Daniel Cormier believes 17-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. is the first of many youngsters who will be UFC-ready from an early age
Former UFC multi-division champion Daniel Cormier believes that Raul Rosas Jr.'s entry into the UFC is just the first of many young fighters making their way into the multi-billion dollar promotion.
In the latest episode of DC & RC, Daniel Cormier said that the signing of the 17-year-old prospect could prove to be a big moment for the UFC. According to 'DC', this could mark the beginning of a phase where the UFC starts taking multiple young fighters on board:
"This is a big moment for the UFC, a big moment for the kid [Raul Rosas Jr.] because I believe now, you're gonna have lifelong martial artists, kids that do everything from [a] very young [age], getting in these positions. So, this is the first one but I don't anticipate this is going to be the last young kid that is UFC-ready right now."
Watch Daniel Cormier talk about Rosas Jr. below:
At 17, Raul Rosas Jr. recently made history by becoming the youngest athlete to be signed by the UFC.
'El Nino Problema' appeared on Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) and took on Mando Gutierrez in a bantamweight bout. The 17-year-old put his grappling skills to use and earned a dominant decision victory. Impressed by his performance, UFC president Dana White offered him a UFC contract and also announced that Rosas Jr. will feature in the UFC 4 video game.
Daniel Cormier showers praise on Bo Nickal
Apart from Raul Rosas Jr., another fighter who made waves during the latest season of DWCS was Bo Nickal. 'The Allen Assassin' competed in two fights and won them both in dominant fashion.
Nickal, who is currently 3-0 as an MMA fighter, was awarded a UFC contract for his performances. Later, it was also announced that the 26-year-old American will play a character in the UFC 4 video game.
In the same episode of DC & RC, Daniel Cormier showered praise on Nickal and hailed him as possibly the greatest prospect in the world of mixed martial arts. Cormier added that he was not surprised by Nickal's exemplary striking skills as he already knew that 'The Allen Assassin' had a background in boxing:
"I don't know if I've ever seen a better prospect in mixed martial arts, especially a prospect with that record. He's only 3-0, but the guy seems to be able to do everything. Now, for many, that's surprising. But not necessarily for me because when you go deeper into Bo Nickal, you understand that, not only is he a great wrestler, [but] his mom had him boxing as a kid. So when people are surprised that he's knocking people down with his hands, Bo Nickal has a boxing background. It's in the family."