Aaron Isaac Rosa (born May 28, 1983) is an American former professional

mixed martial artist Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-stylistic contests took place t ...

. A professional competitor from 2005 until 2013, he has competed for the UFC, Bellator, ShoXC, and

Strikeforce Strike Force may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Games *Strike Force (video game), ''Strike Force'' (video game), a 1991 arcade game *''Commandos: Strike Force'', a 2006 video game *''Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce'', a 2009 video game *' ...

Background

Born and raised in the border-town of

Del Rio, Texas Del Rio (in Spanish language, Spanish, ''Del Río'', "from the river") is a city in and the county seat of Val Verde County, Texas, Val Verde County in southwestern Texas, United States. As of 2020 United States census, 2020, Del Rio had a popul ...

, Rosa was a talented

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

player, competing at Del Rio High School before continuing his career at

Angelo State University Angelo State University is a public university in San Angelo, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1928 as San Angelo College. It gained university status and awarded its first baccalaureate degrees in 1967 and graduate degrees in 1969, the s ...

, where he was also a standout. In January 2004, Rosa began training in

mixed martial arts Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting combat sport, sport based on strike (attack), striking and grappling; incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world. In the early 20th century, various inter-s ...

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

Rosa made his amateur debut later that year in 2004 and made his professional debut in November 2005. Rosa compiled an undefeated record of 9–0 fighting on the local circuit before being signed by ShoXC.

ShoXC

Rosa made his promotional debut on July 27, 2007, at ShoXC: Elite Challengers Series against Jefferson Silva and won via TKO. Rosa made his next appearance on October 26, 2007, against Jared Hamman and was handed his first professional defeat via rear-naked choke submission in the second round. Rosa then faced Jaime Fletcher on March 21, 2008, and was defeated again, via unanimous decision. Rosa was scheduled to fight Seth Petruzelli, at EliteXC: Heat, but Petruzelli was moved to the main event to fight Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson after

Ken Shamrock Kenneth Wayne Shamrock ( né Kilpatrick; born February 11, 1964) is an American retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to WWE under a Legends contract, under the ring name Ken Shamrock. He is best known ...

had to pull out due to an injury.

Strikeforce

After picking up a win under the

Adrenaline MMA Adrenaline MMA was a mixed martial arts organization that operated primarily in North America. It was formerly part of M-1 Global but became independent in October 2007 with Monte Cox as its head. History Foundation In October 2007, Sibling E ...

banner, Rosa made his

debut at Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina on May 15, 2009, in a

Light Heavyweight Light heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports. Boxing Professional In professional boxing, the division is above and up to , falling between super middleweight and cruiserweight (boxing), cruiserweight. The light heavyweight class has ...

bout against

Anthony Ruiz Anthony Ruiz (born November 3, 1977) is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Light Heavyweight and Middleweight divisions of MMA. A professional since 2003, he has competed for Bellator MMA, Strikeforce (mixed m ...

. Rosa won via rear-naked choke submission in the first round. Rosa made his next appearance on November 20, 2009, at Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Bears against Rafael Cavalcante. Rosa was defeated in the second round via TKO. At

Bellator 20 2010 in Bellator MMA was the second installment of the Bellator Fighting Championships (Bellator FC)-produced series. It started on April 8, 2010, and ended on June 24, 2010. Tournaments were held in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight ...

he defeated veteran Robert Villegas by unanimous decision. Rosa then defeated

The Ultimate Fighter 10 ''The Ultimate Fighter: Heavyweights'' is the tenth installment of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)-produced reality television series ''The Ultimate Fighter''. In a press conference following ''UFC 98'', Dana White announced that filmin ...

alumnus Abe Wagner via submission at Titan FC 17: Lashley vs. Ott.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

On May 13, 2011, it was announced that Rosa had signed with the UFC. He made his debut against

Joey Beltran Joey Beltran (born December 9, 1981) is an American bare-knuckle fighter and mixed martial arts, mixed martial artist. A professional mixed martial artist since 2007, he has competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, UFC, Bellator MMA, Bel ...

at UFC 131. After a back-and-forth first two rounds, Rosa was stopped by Beltran by TKO in the third round. Rosa was expected to face

Fabio Maldonado Fabio is a given name descended from Latin ''Fabius'' and very popular in Italy and Latin America (due to Italian migration). The name is written without an accent in Italian and Spanish, but is usually accented in Portuguese as ''Fábio'' (with t ...

in a

bout at UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson. But Maldonado was forced to pull out of the bout due to an injury. Rosa instead faced promotional newcomer Matt Lucas on November 12, 2011, at UFC on Fox 1. He won the fight via majority decision. Rosa had his next

bout against James Te-Huna on March 3, 2012, at UFC on FX 2. Rosa lost via TKO in the first round and was subsequently released from the promotion.

Bellator

After his release from the UFC, Rosa made his return to Bellator at Bellator 103 on October 11, 2013, facing Mikhail Zayats. Rosa was defeated 47 seconds into the first round via submission.

Return to MMA

After more the 9 years away from the sport, Rosa made his return against Juan Adams at Fury FC 56 on February 6, 2022. Rosa lost the bout in the first round via ground and pound TKO.

Personal life

Rosa is married and has 2 daughters and a son.Aaron Rosa - Never Stop Fighting , UFC ® - News
/ref>

Mixed martial arts record

, - , Loss , align=center, 18–7 , Juan Adams , TKO (punches) , Fury FC 56 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 3:08 ,

San Antonio, Texas San Antonio ( ; Spanish for "Anthony of Padua, Saint Anthony") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in Greater San Antonio. San Antonio is the List of Texas metropolitan areas, third-largest metropolitan area in Texa ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 18–6 , Mikhail Zayats , Submission (kimura) , Bellator 103 , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:47 ,

Mulvane, Kansas Mulvane is a city in Sedgwick and Sumner counties in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 6,286. History Mulvane was laid out in 1879 at the junction of five Santa Fe rail lines. It is named for ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 18–5 , Tony Melton , Decision (split) , EODV: El Orgulo del Valle , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:00 ,

Pharr, Texas Pharr is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 79,715, and in 2022, the estimated population was 80,187. Pharr is connected by bridge to the Mexican city of Reynosa, Tamaulipas. Pharr is ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 17–5 , James Te-Huna , TKO (punches) , UFC on FX: Alves vs. Kampmann , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 2:08 ,

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, Australia , , - , Win , align=center, 17–4 , Matt Lucas (fighter), Matt Lucas , Decision (majority) , UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. Dos Santos , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, United States, part of the Greater Los Angeles area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orang ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 16–4 ,

, TKO (punches) , UFC 131 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 1:26 ,

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, Canada , , - , Win , align=center, 16–3 , Abe Wagner , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Titan FC 17: Lashley vs. Ott , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:35 ,

Kansas City, Kansas Kansas City (commonly known as KCK) is the third-most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Wyandotte County. It is an inner suburb of the older and more populous Kansas City, Missouri, after which it is named. As ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 15–3 , Devin Cole , Decision (unanimous) , Shark Fights 13: Jardine vs Prangley , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Potter County, Texas, Potter County, though most of the southern half of the city extends into Randall County, Texas, Randall County ...

, United States ,

Heavyweight Heavyweight is a weight class in combat sports and professional wrestling. Boxing Professional Male boxers who weigh over are considered heavyweights by 2 of the 4 major professional boxing organizations: the International Boxing Federation an ...

debut. , - , Win , align=center, 14–3 , Jay Peche , TKO (punches) , ABG: Promotions , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:47 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 13–3 , Robert Villegas , Decision (unanimous) ,

, , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 12–3 , Rafael Cavalcante , TKO (punches) , Strikeforce Challengers: Woodley vs. Bears , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 3:25 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 12–2 ,

, Submission (rear-naked choke) , Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Aina , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 4:29 ,

Fresno, California Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 11–2 , Ron Fields , TKO (punches) , Adrenaline MMA: Guida vs. Russow , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:34 ,

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 10–2 , Jaime Fletcher , Decision (unanimous) , ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Santa Ynez, California Santa Ynez ( ; Spanish for "St. Agnes", originally spelled ''Santa Inés'') is an unincorporated community in the Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. The population was 4,505 at the 2020 census, up from 4,418 ...

, United States , , - , Loss , align=center, 10–1 , Jared Hamman , Submission (rear-naked choke) , ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 1:46 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 10–0 , Jefferson Silva , TKO (doctor stoppage) , ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 9–0 , Matt Thomas , Decision (split) , World Cage Fighting 1 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 3:00 ,

Southaven, Mississippi Southaven is a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States. It is a principal city in Memphis metropolitan area, Greater Memphis. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census reported a population of 54,648, making it the List of municipal ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 8–0 , Corey Salter , TKO (punches) , JJL Promotions: Sudden Impact 1 , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 0:10 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 7–0 , Jesse Vasquez , TKO (punches) , Renegades Extreme Fighting , , align=center, 2 , align=center, 0:10 ,

Houston, Texas Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 6–0 , Anthony Trotter , TKO (punches) , NLE: Ultimate Fright Night , , align=center, 2 , align=center, N/A ,

Bossier City, Louisiana Bossier City ( ) is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, Bossier Parish in the northwestern region of the U.S. state, state of Louisiana in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 5–0 , Robert Masko , Decision (unanimous) , Renegades Extreme Fighting , , align=center, 4 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 4–0 , Lance Ramoth , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Renegades Extreme Fighting , , align=center, 4 , align=center, 0:28 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 3–0 , Patrick Miller , Submission (rear-naked choke) , Renegades Extreme Fighting , , align=center, 1 , align=center, 0:44 ,

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 2–0 , Matt Thompson , Decision (unanimous) , Renegades Extreme Fighting , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

Austin, Texas Austin ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat and most populous city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and W ...

, United States , , - , Win , align=center, 1–0 , Shane Faulkner , Decision (unanimous) , Renegades Extreme Fighting , , align=center, 3 , align=center, 5:00 ,

, United States ,

References

External links

* *
Official UFC Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosa, Aaron American male mixed martial artists American mixed martial artists of Mexican descent American practitioners of Brazilian jiu-jitsu 1983 births Living people Mixed martial artists from Texas Heavyweight mixed martial artists Light heavyweight mixed martial artists Mixed martial artists utilizing Brazilian jiu-jitsu Sportspeople from Del Rio, Texas Ultimate Fighting Championship male fighters