As a 12-year-old growing up in Del Rio, Aaron Rosa often watched the Ultimate Fighting Championship on television and dreamed of one day reaching the pinnacle of mixed martial arts competition.

“I fell in love with it,” Rosa said. “They were like real-life superheroes, and since then, it was something I always wanted to do.”

Twelve years later, he's living his dream.

Rosa, who now lives in San Antonio, will put his undefeated 9-0 professional fighting record on the line on Sunday, May 13, when he competes against Kyle Olsen at the Dakota Fighting Championships in North Dakota.

Then, of course, there was his first amateur fight in New Orleans.

On that day in 2004, Rosa was scheduled to face an unbeaten fighter who even had a professional fight to his credit. Rosa said the heavily favored fighter was widely regarded as “a killer.”

Rosa promptly knocked him out in the first round.

“That gave me all the confidence I needed,” he said.

After a few more amateur fights, Rosa turned professional and began earning money for his fights. Since then, the 6-feet-3, 205-pounder has dispatched fighter after fighter with his diverse assault arsenal.

Now Rosa's life involves constant travel and nonstop training.

But to him, he's simply living a dream.

“You have to sacrifice, man,” Rosa said. “I don't go out, and I rarely ever drink, because I'd rather have success in the ring or the cage than a good time on Saturday.”

If the sacrifice pays off, Rosa one day hopes to find himself at the top of the sport.

“I have all my chips lined up to where I think I'm going to make it,” he said. “I want to make it to the UFC. I want to be a big name.”
 
Clint Hale | 210SA