Raul Rosas Jr. isn’t afraid to shake things up when it comes to training – and his secret weapon for cardio? Swimming. When asked about the most underrated form of conditioning for MMA, the 20-year-old rising star didn’t hesitate to pick the pool.
In a sport where cardio can make or break a fight, Rosas Jr. believes swimming closely mirrors the kind of pressure fighters face in the octagon. From controlling your breathing to staying calm under fatigue, he sees it as the perfect way to build fight-ready endurance. Looks like Rosas Jr. is diving in – literally – to get an edge.
The 20-year-old recently appeared on Bradley Martyn’s Raw Talk podcast where he discussed all things MMA with Bradley Martyn. One such talking point was cardio training in MMA. Rosas Jr. made his case for swimming by saying –
“I think like something underrated bro for cardio is swimming bro. It helps a lot. I do a lot of swimming it helps a lot. Cause when you’re swimming you’re using your whole body and for a second you can not breathe you know and then you can breathe and then you can’t breathe. I think that is underrated.”
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The youngster also went on to add that when you fight someone like Merab Dvalishvili, there will be moments during wrestling exchanges where a fighter will be forced to hold his breath. He believes that swimming simulates situations like these and helps fighters stay calm under pressure and make better decisions.
The 20-year-old also believes that swimming is less stressful on the body as compared to running for example and therefore, it is his go to choice when it comes to training for cardio in MMA.
Raul Rosas Jr. has big hopes from the UFC and MMA
Raul Rosas Jr. has some bold predictions about the future of combat sports. The youngest fighter in the UFC believes boxing might still be the biggest name in the game – but not for long.
In a recent interview, Rosas Jr. shared his thoughts on why MMA, especially the UFC, is set to overtake boxing in global popularity. With UFC’s rapid growth and constant stream of exciting fights, he thinks it’s just a matter of time.
According to Rosas Jr., boxing’s edge comes down to history – it’s been around much longer than MMA. But he’s confident that gap will close. Speaking on Bradley Martyn’s Raw Talk, Rosas admitted it won’t happen overnight but believes it’s inevitable.
“Boxing has huge fights, like Mayweather vs. Pacquiao,” he said.
“That’s the difference, but I know MMA will catch up.” For Rosas, the future of combat sports looks a lot more like an octagon than a ring.
