The UFC on ESPN 57 fight card featured some exciting fights. The main card saw TUF alum Ricky Turcios take on 19-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. Turcios was 12 years older than Rosas Jr. and got a harsh dose of reality. Turcios disrespected the fast-rising prospect Rosas Jr., and it backfired badly.
As the bantamweight bout began, Turcios shockingly refused the traditional glove touch. Instead, he yelled expletives right in the teenage phenom’s face before winging a front high kick. The fight started instantly with a bang. The insult only seemed to motivate Raul Rosas Jr., who remained calm.
The first round featured heavy back-and-forth action. Each fighter had moments, and the fight ended in the first round on the ground. The second round saw Rosas Jr. finding his rhythm and gaining the advantage over Turcios.
Rosas Jr. quickly grounded the fight, smothering Turcios with mature ground control. He is known for his excellent BJJ skills. Finally, he locked in a rear naked choke after some struggle, and the referee had seen enough. He stopped the fight at 02:22 of Round 2.
Sportsmanship in MMA is a must-have for fighters. For Raul Rosas Jr., it was a performance worthy of bonus compensation. It was a humbling reminder for Ricky Turcios that mouthing off carelessly can have painful consequences. Their long-standing rivalry after several canceled matchups may have been the reason Turcios was charged with emotions.
Raul Rosas Jr. responded to Ricky Turcios’s criticism before the fight
The highly anticipated clash between Raul Rosas Jr. and Ricky Turcios at UFC on ESPN 57 in Louisville had some bad blood. In the build-up to this fight, it was evident that Turcios held some sort of dislike towards the teenage UFC fighter. Turcios initially criticized Rosas Jr. for his withdrawal from their earlier scheduled bouts.
Raul Rosas Jr. is irked by Ricky Turcios’ criticism (via MMA Fighting)Rosas Jr. is the youngest competitor in the UFC. He had to withdraw from their initial meeting in February due to illness. A subsequent rescheduling also fell through due to a scheduling conflict on Rosas Jr.’s end. Turcios, clearly irked by the situation, labeled Rosas Jr. as unprofessional and accused him of disrespecting the “Bushido code.” However, Rosas Jr. wasn’t letting Turcios’ comments get under his skin.
If I really disrespected his code, we’ll see if he does something about it on Saturday night.
Raul Rosas Jr. via MMA Junkie
Despite the hiccups along the way, Rosas Jr. remained confident in his abilities. While Turcios is known for his durability and heart, Rosas Jr. believed he had evolved tremendously since their initial booking. He finally showcased his skills when he submitted Turcios in the second round of their matchup.
Moreover, the young teenage sensation did not hold any grudge towards Turcios after the fight. It was a showcase of good sportsmanship from the young fighter with plenty of potential.
