Prior to each UFC card, Jay Primetown takes a close look at debuting fighters. In the latest installment, we look at flyweight Mark De La Rosa as he makes his UFC debut against former flyweight title challenger Tim Elliott at UFC 219 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mark De La Rosa
Hometown: Lubbock, Texas
Age: 23
Height: 5’4”
Reach: 65″
Weight Class: Flyweight
Camp: Genesis BJJ
Career Record: 9-0
Key Wins: Joseph Sandoval
Key Losses: None
Background
The undefeated Texan enters his first UFC fight having won five of his last six fights by finish. De La Rosa joins his wife, Montana De La Rosa (formerly Stewart) in the UFC as the current lone husband and wife UFC tandem in the promotion.
Strengths
- Good footwork
- Fast hands
- Beautiful combination of jab and lead hook
- Decent scrambler on the mat
Weaknesses
- Striking defense has some holes
- Can be bullied and pressed against the cage by bigger, stronger fighters
- Tends to turtle and not move when backed against the cage
- Takedown defense a cause for concern
Fighter Grade
Offensive Striking: C
Striking Defense: D
Knockout Power: D+
Athleticism/Speed: C+
Footwork: C+
Chin: D+
Offensive Wrestling: D+
Takedown Defense: D
Submissions: C-
Conditioning: D+
Intangibles: C-
Overall Grade: C-
Matchup against Tim Elliott
To kick off UFC 219, Tim Elliott welcomes Mark De La Rosa to the UFC. While Elliott has made improvements to his striking over the years, this is an area De La Rosa has an advantage. De La Rosa has really impressive hand speed and footwork. Elliott is much less technically skilled in the striking department, so look for De La Rosa to take the lead in the striking exchanges. Elliott’s constant pressure with eventually cause some problems for De La Rosa. Elliott is excellent at forcing the fight into tight spaces. Elliott’s the physically stronger fighter and should be able to slow down De La Rosa as the fight goes on. In terms of the wrestling, there’s a big advantage for Tim Elliott. I expect Elliott to try to get De La Rosa to the mat and will have success in that regard. Elliot is too experienced and too physically strong at this stage of De La Rosa’s career. At -225, Elliott is right near where I have him lined at -240. At this point, I don’t see value in betting this fight straight. Elliott by decision is +100 and that’s simply too low to get on the side of either. If Elliott by decision rises to +150 then I’d recommend considering that.
UFC Ceiling Mark De La Rosa has a nice stand up game. At only 23 years of age, he tends to fight beyond his years with a bit of season on the feet. His hand speed and technical boxing abilities alone should give him opportunities to be competitive in the UFC. He needs to work on his wrestling and I expect his physicality to improve over time. He may have some growing pains to start in the UFC, but he’s a fighter that I expect to have success long term in the flyweight division.
Fight Film
Check out Mark De La Rosa in some of his most recent fights:
Mark De La Rosa vs. Arthur Oliveira
