After days of speculation about his sudden withdrawal from Noche UFC, Raul Rosas Jr. has finally broken his silence. The 20-year-old prospect took to his Instagram to reveal the circumstances behind his absence from the highly anticipated co-main event clash with Rob Font.
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What was supposed to be the biggest test of his young career has instead turned into an abrupt setback, with Rosas confirming that a rib injury in training caused him to withdraw from the event.
The news dealt another blow to an already altered Noche UFC lineup. Rosas was one of the card’s main draws, and his fight with Font was viewed as a potential breakthrough against top-10 opposition. The card has already lost several fights, including Raquel Pennington vs. Norma Dumont and Edgar Chairez vs. Alessandro Costa.
Raul Rosas Jr. explained how the injury occurred during training camp. He said he “had someone on [his] back with a locked body triangle” and pulled a rib while attempting to spin out of it. “I tried to push through it but didn’t heal & won’t fully heal in time,” Rosas said, stressing that the lingering pain made it impossible to properly prepare for a bout of this magnitude.
He added that recovery is finally beginning to take shape. “Barely starting to get back into normal training, so hopefully I’ll be back soon.” The rising bantamweight also assured fans that his goals remain unchanged, saying, “Can’t wait to be back and earn my spot again against a top 15. Working my way up. Looking to heal soon and step back in the cage 2 more times this year.”
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The timing of the setback is difficult for Rosas, who had won four straight since his first career loss in 2023. Facing Font, the #9 ranked bantamweight, was seen as the real test for the rising star. Instead, Raul Rosas Jr. will have to regroup, heal, and wait for his next opportunity to rise through the ranks, while the rest of the division continues to move on without him. But what about Rob Font? Is he willing to accept a new opponent?
Rob Font agrees to an opponent to replace Raul Rosas Jr.
Rob Font didn’t want to lose his spot on the San Antonio card, so the UFC quickly found him a new dance partner. The 38-year-old now faces David Martinez at Noche UFC 3, a shift from the high-profile challenge Rosas was supposed to bring. Font, however, has reason to be pleased with the change; he is on a two-fight winning streak and sees this as an opportunity to push further back into the top ten.
Martinez, on the other hand, comes in with nothing to lose and everything to gain. The 27-year-old impressed many on the Contender Series before launching into his UFC debut with a first-round knockout that earned him a bonus. For him, this late-notice fight is more than just a booking; it’s an opportunity to jump right into the promotion’s good books by going against an experienced veteran.
The stakes are clear. Font gets to maintain his momentum and prove his ability to adjust in the face of unexpected changes, while Martinez gets his chance to break through. It may not be the exact story fans were hoping for with Raul Rosas Jr., but the replacement bout still carries a dangerous kind of intrigue.
