"I've been training with Tito since last November," Rosa said. "He needed help training for the Liddell fight. Saul called me and asked me if I wanted to help Tito, and I said, ‘Sure, just give me a ticket, and I'll be there in two minutes.'"
At 6-foot-3, Rosa has used his larger frame to overpower many of his opponents. Yet, as the competition gets tougher, he realizes how tough it is to keep a zero in his loss column.
"Of course there's pressure," he said. "I want to stay undefeated; I hate losing. I lost one time when I was an amateur, and I just hate that feeling. It ate me up inside. I train my butt off to stay away from that feeling."
Currently Rosa has one fight left on his ProElite contract and plans to fight again in either December or January.
"Whatever they want to do, I'm willing to do," he said. "They have been really good to me. I've asked to fight better opponents every time, and they've done that for me. I'm a loyal person, so we'll see what happens."
WEC Talkback: Varner, Hicks Vie for No. 1 Contender Spot
With an official announcement from the WEC still pending, the war of words between top contenders in the company's 155-pound division has already begun.
Jamie Varner (Pictures) fired the first blast at a recent Rage in the Cage.
"I think I'm going to smash Marcus Hicks," said the Arizona native. "He's probably one of my better opponents other than Hermes Franca (Pictures). He's got tough standup, tough ground. I saw him fight Sergio Gomez (Pictures) and I just don't think he will be able to handle my intensity. I think I'm a better striker. I'm a better wrestler."
Hailing from Lewisville, Texas, Hicks is 6-0 in his young MMA career. He boasts an impressive standup resume as a Golden Gloves boxing champion.
"Just knowing that I've competed in an art where I could only use my hands and still be able to win is a huge confidence booster," Hicks said. "I'm equally comfortable on both the ground and standing. I just haven't had a chance to showcase my standup skills."
Varner and Hicks are expected to fight at the Dec. 12 WEC in Las Vegas. Also slated for that night is current lightweight champion Rob McCullough (Pictures)'s second title defense, this time versus Alex Karalexis (Pictures).
"I think Razor Rob will take this one," Varner said. "Alex Karalexis (Pictures) is tough. If Karalexis gets the takedown, I think he can ground-and-pound it to a decision. Either one of these guys I'd be more than happy to fight anytime. I think I beat both of those guys."
Mexico's Next Great 145-Pound Fighter?
Paul Schon's Primal MMA promotion is rising the ranks of Mexican MMA. Holding shows in Tijuana, Mexico, Primal MMA features some of the top homegrown Mexican talent, especially in the lighter weight classes.
On Nov. 3, in the main event of the third Primal MMA show, local product Antonio Duarte faces California's Seth Dikin (Pictures) in a featherweight matchup.
Since turning pro in March 2006, Duarte has run off an 8-1 record. A packed fight schedule has caused MMA to be Duarte's one and only focus as he moves forward.
"My only job is to train and teach at the Entram Gym Vale Tudo," Duarte said through his interpreter and trainer Raul Arvizu. "When I am not training, I'm teaching. So I'm at the gym all day. Raul is my teacher, and he's always teaching me new drills every day."
After his November bout, Duarte may not fight again until 2008. His plans for the new year may include a trip to the United States to test himself against some of the best 145-pound American fighters.
"In 2008 I want to keep training and if possible earn another belt, and of course I want to fight in the U.S.," Duarte said. "That's one of my major goals."
Local Roundup
Over the next couple of weeks, fans in the Southwest United Sates will be treated to a buffet of local MMA shows.
Saturday in Las Cruces, N.M., on the New Mexico State University campus, will be a 10-fight amateur show promoted by a company called Bonecrusher Extreme Cage Fighting.
On the same night, the premiere Se Vale Tudo event will be held in the Mexico-Arizona border town of Nogales. The card is loaded with collegiate Div. I wrestling talent, including middleweight CB Dollaway (Pictures) and Kellan Fluckinger, who both wrestled at perennial Pac-10 power Arizona State. Fluckinger draws a tough match versus IFL vet Dwayne Compton (Pictures).
On Nov. 3, three different states will host major cards. King of Kombat offers a 185-pound main event at the Crockett Center in Austin, Texas, that pits Chilo Gonzalez (Pictures) versus local product Phillip Preece.
Tap or Snap showcases its 29th event in Castle Rock, Colo., featuring Matt Hughes (Pictures)' team member Jacob Hey, who will look to take the promotion's featherweight crown back to Iowa.
From the producers of Rage in the Cage, the inaugural Rage in the Ring takes place in Casa Grande, Ariz. The card will be a mix of MMA and kickboxing fights, with all 17 bouts held in a modified boxing ring.