"A lot of people are going to be prudes about that" - Chael Sonnen explains the legal complications of having an under-18 fighter on Dana White's Contender Series

Dana White's Contender Series is set to feature a 17-year-old on its September 20 fight card.

Mexican bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. will become the youngest fighter in the history of the series after he signed on to showcase his talent to Dana White and UFC matchmakers.

The signing of the undefeated fighter as a minor has sparked debate in the MMA fraternity. Former UFC middleweight Chael Sonnen weighed in on the debate and laid out the distinction between adults and minors. He said on his YouTube channel:

"It does get contested. And a lot of people are going to be prudes about that. There's a number of states that have athletic commissions that will not allow it. The law recognizes adult, they recognize minor, they separate that by 18 years old. Below or above, straight up. So if you could do it at 17, even if it's 17 & a half, even if it's 17 & three quarters, why can't you do it at seven?"

He continued by drawing parallels to other sports that see younger players emerge at a professional level:

"Do you see the problem? The law would want adults in there because it's content and this is serious. At the same time, you tell them they can't practice? Every other sport you get to practice! There's not a starter on any team anywhere in the league that did not play as a child."

Sonnen then offered an answer to his own question by putting it down to the extreme physical contact that MMA entails that prevents younger athletes from being promoted more often.

Watch Chael Sonnen's full comments on his YouTube channel:

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Raul Rosas Jr. intends to impress Dana White

Meanwhile, Raul Rosas Jr. is determined to make the most of his opportunity. The young fighter is undefeated with a 5-0 record while fighting in his regional promotion Ultimate Warrior Challenge Mexico.

His wins have been nothing short of impressive, with each of them being finishes. Out of four submissions and one TKO, Rosas Jr. has only been to round two of a fight once in five instances.

Ahead of his appearance on Dana White's Contender Series, he expressed his desire to announce himself to the world and warrant a contract with the premier MMA promotion in the world. He spoke to MMA Fighting in an interview:

“I’m going out there to try and finish every second of the fight. I feel comfortable anywhere the fight goes. We can clinch, we can wrestle, grapple, bang it out, I’m comfortable everywhere. I just know my style will impress Dana White, I’m going to try and finish the fight, and just put on a show for y’all."

While vowing to make an impression on the UFC president, Rosas Jr. also compared himself to wrestling prodigy Bo Nickal. Nickal will fight for a second time on September 27 after his first win at Dana White's Contender Series 49 against Zachary Borrego.

Nicknamed 'El Nino Problema', Rosas Jr. definitely poses a problem if he continues to develop on a similar trajectory.