MMA sensation Raul Rosas Jr. has already etched his name in history before even having a sniff at championship gold. The 10-1 record holder is the youngest fighter to ever compete inside the Octagon and even had a triumphant debut with a well-received performance. With such an impressive resume already, and becoming a popular name day by day, there’s a growing interest in fans to know more about Rosas Jr.

On March 7, ‘El Niño Problema’ is set to face probably the biggest challenge of his young career. For the first time, Rosas will go up against a ranked bantamweight opponent at UFC 326, and that opponent is none other than the veteran Rob Font himself. A win here would give the 21-year-old a major boost, moving him into Font’s #13 spot and preparing him for higher-caliber competition. But before Rosas takes the T-Mobile Arena by storm, let’s get to know him a little personally and take a closer look at his background.

Where is Raul Rosas Jr from and What is Raul Rosas Jr’s Nationality? 

When it comes to Raul Rosas Jr.’s nationality, fans usually get confused. The reason? Most think he’s Mexican, while others believe he’s American. The truth is, the young UFC prodigy was born in Mexico and then moved to the United States when he was 13 years old. So, in that case, Rosas is actually a U.S. citizen, but there’a catch. 

However, the bantamweight standout chooses to represent the Mexican flag during his UFC fights and mostly competes in the promotion’s yearly Noche events. Now that we’ve clarified ‘El Niño Problema’s nationality, let’s take a look at his ethnicity. 

What is Raul Rosas Jr’s ethnicity?

Raul Rosas Jr. was born in the city of Clovis in the state of New Mexico, which makes him an American citizen. However, he is of Mexican ethnicity, and the 20-year-old never fails to show how much he has for his roots. As such, Rosas Jr. also possesses Mexican citizenship, according to certain sources. The 10-1 bantamweight fighter has also been seen sporting the Mexican flag during a weigh-in event.

‘El Niño Problema’s father, Raul Rosas Sr., and his mother, Oyuki Rios, luckily got away from a dangerous environment when they were in Mexico. They lived in the city of Iztapalapa, a notorious region in the country. You wouldn’t believe it, but Iztapalapa reportedly had the second-highest crime rate in Mexico a few years back.

They’d reportedly move from there to the United States, and his father would find himself working as a boxing coach. Oyuki, on the other hand, would do a variety of gigs, most working as a housekeeper, while Raul Rosas Jr. realized his UFC dream. However, there’s an interesting fact related to the Rosas surname. 

According to Wikipedia, the Rosas surname comes from a Latin American lineage, which aligns with their Mexican roots. But the last name originally traces back to the mountains of Cantabria, an area where roses once grew. Because the flowers were abundant in that region, the family also ended up taking their name from the area. Now, as we have come to know most of the things about Raul Rosas Jr’s ethnicity, what about his religion? Let’s take a look.

Is Raul Rosas Jr Christian?

In the UFC, we often find two types of fighters: those who openly talk about their religion and those who keep it private. When it comes to Raul Rosas Jr.’s religious beliefs, he has mostly kept things to himself during his time in the promotion. However, there is one instance where the Mexican-American displayed some religious affiliation.

Early in his career, the bantamweight standout’s Instagram showed him drawing a cross on himself after a win in a regional MMA bout. From this, we can reasonably infer that the 21-year-old might follow Christianity to some extent.

That said, as Raul Rosas Jr. prepares to collide in the Octagon once again, do you think he can topple the challenge of Rob Font at UFC 326, whom he was set to face at UFC Noche? Let us know in the comments section below.