Chael Sonnen talks 17-year-old fighting on Contender Series
History will be made on Tuesday as Raul Rosas Jr. will become the youngest fighter to have ever competed on Dana White’s Contender Series. At just 17-year-old, Rosas has the opportunity to earn a contract with the promotion, and he isn’t even legally categorized as an adult.
Rosas is currently undefeated 5-0 and recorded all of his professional wins under the Ultimate Warrior Challenge banner in Mexico.
Former UFC title contender Chael Sonnen questioned the legitimacy of giving the young man the fight at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Rosas will face Mando Gutierrez (7-1) who is 25-years-old. Is it morally, right?
“A kid is coming on the Contender Series,” Sonnen said. “He’s had five fights, all took place in Mexico. He’s gonna come out to the Apex, jurisdiction of Las Vegas, compete; youngest kid ever,” Sonnen said. “I would tell you guys… you fight anyone, anytime, anywhere, or you’re a bully and you don’t belong here.
“There would be an exception to that I never once considered, which is a child. You do not have to go beat up a child. I would tell you that, but I never have because I’ve never been confronted with it. I’m just wondering what you think?”
Sonnen continued to discuss the legalities of the fight which is getting quite a bit of attention due to the fact that Rosas is still technically considered a “minor.”
“A lot of people will be prudes… There’s a number of states that have athletic commissions that will not allow it,” Sonnen noted. “The law recognizes adult, they recognize minor, and they separate that by 18 years old… So if you’ve been doing it at 17, even 17-and-a-half… Why can’t you do it at seven? From a legal perspective, what difference would it make?
“Before you think, ‘I don’t wanna see children in there,’ I don’t know that I totally disagree with you. It does strike me as weird, too. I haven’t formed an opinion… Within those states where they will not allow minors to compete and wouldn’t allow a minor to take on an adult, they have cities and those cities have gyms. Any age can go in and train and spar.”
The more than 9-minute video concludes with Sonnen stating that despite the tone in his voice or his facial movements, he does not have an opinion either way in the debate.
“I do not have an opinion on this. It’s a very wild situation. A young man from California, who’s 17 years old, will represent the youngest contestant ever… If he goes out and wins, by the way, he should have every right,” Sonnen said. “But a 17-year-old who gets parental consent, goes out there, gets taken down and sliced open with elbows by somebody who’s 28 or 29, it’s gonna feel very different.”
The September 20 Contender Series event begins at 8pm ET on ESPN+.
Complete weigh-in results below:
Leon Aliu (186) vs. Brunno Ferreira (184)
Raul Rosas Jr. (134) vs. Mando Gutierrez (135.5)
Austen Lane (240.5) vs. Richard Jacobi (244.5)
Nurullo Aliev (155.5) vs. Josh Wick (156)
Roybert Echeverria (125) vs. Jafel Cavalcante Filho (125.5)
