Last-minute medical twist forces UFC to cancel Raul Rosas Jr.'s brother's scheduled debut
While his younger brother, Raul Rosas Jr., has already established himself in the UFC, Jessie Rosas will have to wait a little longer for his own debut after an injury derailed his plans.
Jessie Rosas' featherweight debut clash against Miles Johns was called off after UFC doctors declined to clear him medically. In a statement, the Rosas family said the issue stemmed from a minor scrape on his forehead sustained during practice.
Last-Minute Setback Derails Jessie Rosas' UFC Debut
Although they believed the issue was minor, the doctors thought otherwise. Raul Rosas Jr. later revealed the full story on his Instagram Story.
“UFC doctor pulled my brother out of his fight,” Raul Rosas Jr. wrote on his Instagram story. “Due to a glove scratch on his forehead, as he believes it’s an infection. We did what we could, got approval from 2 doctors, everything was okay, but the UFC doctor made the call."
He further added, “There’s nothing we can do; my brother was ready. Things happen for a reason, God’s plan. His time will come.”
The 23-year-old was riding a three-fight winning streak and held an 8-1 record with a 75% finish rate, including four submissions and two knockouts.
He most recently captured the Ultimate Warrior Challenge Mexico title. His clash against Johns was set to be his ticket to the Dana White-led promotion, but things did not go his way.
Sharing his disappointment on Instagram, Jessie Rosas emphasized that he did everything in his power to save the fight, but the doctors ruled him out of the competition.
“So as you guys know, I was forced to pull out due to a glove scratch on the forehead,” the 23-year-old wrote. “I tried doing everything in my power to try to keep this fight even, got approved by two different doctors, but at the end of the day, the UFC doctor has the last call.”
He apologized to his fans, writing, “Sorry to all the people that wanted to see me fight. I'm upset about how things played out, especially this close to the fight.”
With him out of the UFC Vegas 120 card, the promotion wasted no time announcing his replacement.
UFC Acts Quickly After Jessie Rosas' Medical Setback
Following the setback, the UFC wasted no time finding a replacement. According to MMA insider Marcel Dorff, Gianni Vazquez steps in on short notice for Rosas, returning to the Octagon for his second UFC appearance.
Vazquez last stepped into the Octagon in February 2026 at UFC Vegas 113, where he suffered a unanimous decision loss to Javid Basharat. This marks his second chance to prove his worth in the UFC after being cut following his promotional debut.
Despite the setback with the Dana White-led promotion, Vazquez continued competing on the regional circuit. He scored a second-round knockout over Kamron Ortikov at a regional promotion in May.
With a 14-5 record, Vazquez will be looking to regain his confidence inside the Octagon, but his opponent is no one to underestimate. Johns has been with the promotion since 2019 and holds a 6-5 UFC record.
Although he is riding a three-fight losing streak, he is still a seasoned UFC fighter who has faced punches and kicks from elite-level fighters. The featherweight bout marks a step up for Vazquez, but Johns faces a challenge of his own. Who prevails? Only time will tell.
