Raul Rosas Jr. Reveals Rib Injury That Forced Withdrawal from Noche UFC

Rising bantamweight star Raul Rosas Jr. has provided new details on the injury that forced him out of his scheduled Noche UFC showdown with veteran contender Rob Font.

The 20-year-old phenom, nicknamed “El Niño Problema,” explained that a rib injury suffered during training left him no choice but to pull out of the highly anticipated matchup.

“As much as I wanted this fight to prove myself against the best in the world, I won’t be able to make it,” Rosas wrote on Instagram. “I injured my rib in training when I had someone on my back with a locked body triangle. I tried to escape by spinning away and pulled it. I tried to push through it, but it didn’t heal and won’t fully heal in time.”

Font remains on the card and will now face replacement opponent David Martinez. Noche UFC — officially UFC Fight Night 259 — takes place September 13 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, and will be headlined by a featherweight clash between Diego Lopes and Jean Silva.

Rosas Still Planning a Busy 2025

While the injury is a setback, Rosas hasn’t lost sight of his goals for the year. The surging prospect has already put together a 5–1 record inside the UFC and most recently defeated Vince Morales by decision at UFC on ESPN 64 in March.

“Barely starting to get back into normal training, so hopefully I’ll be back soon,” Rosas noted. “Can’t wait to be back and earn my spot again against a Top 15 [opponent]. Looking to heal soon and step back in the cage two more times this year.”

If his recovery goes smoothly, fans could still see the Mexican-American standout in action before the year closes — potentially with a ranked opponent waiting.

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This is a tough break for Rosas Jr., who was stepping into the biggest test of his career against Rob Font. Injuries are part of the fight game, but the timing couldn’t have been worse — on a high-profile Noche UFC card designed to showcase Latin talent. The silver lining is that Rosas is still young, still building momentum, and has the ambition to make up for lost time. A strong comeback fight later this year could not only put him back on track, but also remind everyone why the UFC signed him so young in the first place.