"In Mexico they must be licensing kids at 15" - Daniel Cormier shocked that Raul Rosas Jr. is 6-0 at 17 years old
Raul Rosas Jr. made history by becoming the youngest fighter to ever sign for the UFC after his impressive performance in Dana White's Contender Series.
The youngster earned widespread praise from many, including UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier. Raul Rosas Jr. won by decision against Mando Gutierrez:
Cormier praised the Mexican fighter on the DC & RC Show and raised some important questions regarding his age:
"I think 17's a little young for me, because I think back to when I was 17... Now, is he technical enough? Yes. Is he physical enough? It would seem to be that way. Does he have the skills? Absolutely. But what happens whenever this young man falls into some issues in terms of getting beat on. Then you have that section of people going, oh he's just a kid, he's a baby."
Cormier then wondered about the state of Mexican licensing:
"The reality is, he's making the choice. He's won already six fights. I mean I don't know how a kid has six fights at 17 years old. Where is he fighting at? In Mexico, they must be licensing kids at 15 years old because he's got six wins. So I'm not saying it's a horrible horrible thing, I just think there's a lot of things that this kid is gonna need help with in terms of guidance as he goes forward in his career."
Daniel Cormier believes Raul Rosas Jr. signing is a key step for the UFC
Daniel Cormier also lauded the UFC for taking on someone as young as Raul Rosas Jr. He cited it as a key move in attracting young talent to the UFC roster.
He said on the DC & RC Show:
"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."
Cormier also believed that the move furthered the integration of mixed martial arts into young people's lives. Although he previously raised questions over the decision-making of fighters at a tender age, 'DC' predicted that we would see more younger athletes making their foray into the octagon.
Watch his full comments on the DC & RC Show: