Raul Rosas Jr. needed less than a minute to produce one of the most talked-about grappling results of the year. The 22-year-old UFC bantamweight submitted former interim UFC welterweight champion Colby Covington with a rear-naked choke in the main event of HYPE Fighting in Rome on Tuesday night, after stepping in on just days' notice.
The match, a submission-only contest scheduled for 10 minutes at the PalaPellicone in Rome, was over almost before it had begun. Rosas Jr. pressured Covington from the opening exchange, secured an early takedown, took his back and locked in the choke. Most outlets timed the finish at 43 seconds; HYPE Fighting's own result post put it at 40 seconds. Either way, it was a stunning upset — and a night Covington will want to forget quickly.
A late replacement who saved the show
The main event was not supposed to feature Rosas Jr. at all. Covington had originally been booked to face Dillon Danis in the submission-only contest, but Danis withdrew days before the event because of an injury.
Rosas Jr., who was attending the press conference, volunteered when organisers called for a replacement. He had only days to prepare for a much larger, more experienced opponent in a ruleset that favoured Covington's wrestling background. None of that mattered once the match started.
From the first exchange, Rosas Jr. looked like the more urgent fighter. He shot in for a takedown, transitioned smoothly to Covington's back, and sank the rear-naked choke before Covington could clear the choking arm. The tap came before the contest reached its first minute, ending a bout that had been scheduled to last ten.
What Covington said afterwards
Covington, who entered the event riding a five-match winning streak in Real American Freestyle wrestling, was gracious in defeat. He acknowledged that he started slowly and said he had not trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu in years, having focused mainly on his wrestling — but he offered no excuses for the loss.
The defeat is a setback, but its timing makes it more awkward. Covington is scheduled to defend his RAF Crossover Championship against Khamzat Chimaev in Abu Dhabi on 14 November, just 11 days after the Rome loss. He will need to put this result behind him quickly, because Chimaev represents a far more dangerous challenge than a short-notice grappling match.
Covington is also scheduled to face UFC lightweight Ignacio Bahamondes in a HYPE match on 20 December, according to reports from the event — a reminder that his busy crossover schedule leaves little room to dwell on one bad night.
Who is Raul Rosas Jr.?
Rosas Jr., nicknamed El Nino Problema, is one of the UFC's most exciting young talents. Born on 8 October 2004 in Clovis, New Mexico, to parents who immigrated from Iztapalapa in Mexico City, he was winning gold at IMMAF world championships in Rome as a teenager — in the same city where he has now submitted Covington.
He is currently ranked No. 8 in the UFC bantamweight division, fighting at 135 pounds, and his victory over Covington — a former interim UFC welterweight champion — only adds to his growing reputation. That he did it on short notice, against a bigger opponent, in a different ruleset, makes the win even more impressive.
Rosas Jr. is also scheduled to face Clay Guida on the Real American Freestyle circuit on 28 November, so his busy end to the year is only just beginning.
The McGregor footnote
Conor McGregor was a special guest at the Rome event and was shown on camera during the main event, which led to a viral clip appearing to show him laughing at Covington's loss. McGregor later pushed back strongly, saying the clip was edited and its placement was false.
He wrote that he had an amazing and fun time at the show in Rome, but insisted: "I do not laugh at competing men and women." The episode is a reminder of how quickly a single broadcast cut can create a story of its own — separate from what actually happened in the match itself.
FAQ
How quickly did Rosas Jr. submit Covington?
The finish came in under a minute. Most outlets timed it at 43 seconds, while HYPE Fighting's own post put it at 40 seconds.
Why was Rosas Jr. fighting Covington instead of Dillon Danis?
Danis withdrew days before the event because of an injury. Rosas Jr. volunteered at the press conference to replace him on short notice.
What are the rules of a submission-only match?
The Rome main event was scheduled for one 10-minute round, with victory only possible by submission — there was no decision and no points verdict.
Who does Covington fight next?
Covington is scheduled to defend his RAF Crossover Championship against Khamzat Chimaev in Abu Dhabi on 14 November.
Sources
- MMA Mania, Raul Rosas Jr. submits Colby Covington in 43 seconds in Hype Italy — https://www.mmamania.com/bjj-news/483887/highlights-watch-raul-rojas-jr-tap-trash-talking-colby-covington-in-40-seconds-and-on-super-short-notice-hype-italy
- Bloody Elbow, Colby Covington submitted in 43 seconds by Raul Rosas Jr. — https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/11/03/colby-covington-submitted-in-43-seconds-by-ufc-bantamweight-raul-rosas-jr-in-replacement-matchup/
- Combat Sports UK, Raul Rosas Jr submits Colby Covington in under 45 seconds in Hype main event in Rome — https://combatsportsuk.com/news/2836899f-c848-4777-9b08-13f0f4ac6e82/raul-rosas-jr-submits-colby-covington-under-45-seconds-hype-rome
- NDTV Sports, Who Is Raul Rosas Jr.? The UFC Bantamweight Who Submitted Colby Covington — https://sports.ndtv.com/us/mma/who-is-raul-rosas-jr-the-ufc-bantamweight-who-submitted-colby-covington-in-a-grappling-match-12280441
