Zabit Makhachev has pulled out of his scheduled grappling match against Raul Rosas Jr. due to a health issue. His brother Hassan Makhachev will step in as a replacement.
Raul Rosas Jr. will face a last-minute opponent change ahead of his scheduled grappling match, after Zabit Makhachev withdrew due to a health issue. Hassan Makhachev has been confirmed as his replacement.
Rosas Jr., known as "El Nino Problema," is one of the more intriguing young prospects in mixed martial arts. The 21-year-old American carries a professional record of 12-1-0 and trains out of 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Las Vegas, a camp known for its unorthodox submission grappling system. Fighting out of a switch stance and standing five-foot-nine with a 67-inch reach, Rosas Jr. averages 4.01 takedowns per 15 minutes in MMA competition, underlining why a grappling format suits his skillset. He also generates 1.1 submission attempts per 15 minutes, making him a constant danger once a fight hits the mat.
No verified statistics for Zabit Makhachev or Hassan Makhachev are available in the current dataset, so details on Hassan's competitive background cannot be confirmed at this time.
Why it matters
- The late swap changes the grappling matchup considerably, as Hassan Makhachev is a lesser-known commodity than his brother.
- For Rosas Jr., the bout remains a high-profile opportunity to showcase his submission grappling credentials against Makhachev family lineage.
- The circumstances of Zabit's withdrawal — described only as a health issue — leave his near-term competitive timeline unclear.
