Raul Rosas Jr. secured his fourth consecutive victory by defeating Vince Morales at UFC Mexico via unanimous decision. However, it wasn`t Morales` late submission attempt that posed the biggest threat, but rather the challenging altitude of Mexico City.
Entering the third round with a clear lead, Morales attempted a comeback with a D’Arce choke. Rosas appeared to be in discomfort, but despite Morales` efforts to tighten the submission, Rosas remained composed and avoided tapping out.
Reflecting on the fight, the 20-year-old rising star explained that he was never in real danger of submitting. He confidently stated his resilience to chokes, even under pressure.
“Honestly, tapping wasn’t an option for me,” Rosas told MMA Fighting. “In any choke, I can endure for a long time. To choke me out, you need a perfect choke. Even in training, I let people get deep chokes on me, and they tire out before I do. Knowing Vince`s skill with the D’Arce, especially since I trained with him before, I was prepared. I simply don’t tap.”
Rosas elaborated on his preparation, mentioning drills with his brother and training partners where he practiced escaping deep D’Arce chokes. He assessed Morales` final attempt as only “55 percent” deep, causing slight discomfort but not enough to force a submission.
Rosas admitted surprise that Morales even attempted the D’Arce choke during the fight, considering his previous experiences in training sessions.
“I thought he knew from our training that he couldn’t make me tap with a D’Arce,” Rosas said, recalling a training session where Morales applied a very tight choke for a minute without success. “But I guess he figured it was worth trying.”
While the submission attempt was not a serious concern, Rosas revealed that the altitude in Mexico City presented a significant hurdle.
The high altitude of Mexico City is notorious for affecting fighters` stamina. Despite trying to prepare for it, Rosas confessed that he had never experienced such extreme exhaustion during a fight.
The altitude forced Rosas to adjust his fight strategy drastically. He admitted being completely spent after the first round.
“When the first round ended, I was completely drained,” Rosas recounted. “I had nothing left. My arms felt useless, which is why I stopped striking. Usually, I relax in the corner, but this time I immediately asked for water, feeling incredibly dehydrated. Seeing my opponent energetic in his corner was discouraging, as I felt completely depleted.”
Rosas drew inspiration from his previous loss against Christian Rodriguez, reminding himself that he couldn`t afford another defeat. He mentally pushed himself to continue, despite his physical exhaustion.
“I had a flashback to the Rodriguez fight and refused to let it happen again. I told myself I would win no matter what, even without knowing how. I just decided to push through and secure the victory. After that, it was a blur, but I kept fighting and managed to win.”
Rosas’s loss to Rodriguez in 2023 was due to exhaustion, allowing his opponent to dominate. He was determined to avoid a repeat and willed himself to victory despite his body shutting down.
“I was dead, especially in the third round,” Rosas emphasized. “My tiredness was beyond anything I’d felt before. I’m proud that I managed to push through such adversity.”
He described the lingering effects of the altitude, stating, “Even the next day, I was still out of breath, like after a long run. The fight pushed my body so hard that it took a full day to recover my breath.”
Considering the challenges he faced, Rosas is proud of his ability to overcome adversity and win. While acknowledging it wasn’t his most polished performance, he values the experience gained in managing difficulties and securing a win despite them.
“It wasn’t perfect, but in a way, it was,” Rosas reflected. “I gained crucial experience fighting at altitude and managing extreme fatigue while staying competitive. While I always aim for finishes, this fight taught me how to manage three rounds and win even when a finish isn`t possible. Moving forward, I need to combine both – knowing when to control the fight and when to seek the finish.”
Regarding fighting in Mexico City again, Rosas acknowledged the need for better acclimatization but values the experience gained. He would consider returning for a significant opportunity.
“I’m always up for a challenge,” Rosas affirmed. “If it’s a meaningful fight, a big opportunity, then yes.”
However, Rosas pointed out a logistical challenge, “My main concern about fighting in Mexico City isn’t the altitude itself, but the difficulty in bringing my full team – training partners and coaches. It results in a smaller camp, maybe just three people, if they can even make the trip. That’s the real difficulty. But regarding the altitude, with this experience, I think it would be easier next time.”
