Tag: dalton rosta

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – [autotag]Dalton Rosta[/autotag] wrapped up his 2022 fighting calendar at a perfect 3-0, and if he keeps the same pace in 2023 could have something big in his future.

Rosta (8-0 MMA, 8-0 BMMA) kept his perfect record intact with a unanimous decision win over Anthony Adams (9-3 MMA, 1-1 BMMA) to open the Bellator 289 main card Friday in Uncasville, Conn. If he goes 3-0 in 2023, it would make him 11-0 – the same record his American Top Team teammate Austin Vanderford had earlier this year when he got a middleweight title shot, and the same record teammate Johnny Eblen had when he beat Gegard Mousasi to win the belt a few months later.

So it’s reasonable to think an 11-0 Rosta could find himself in the title picture, especially considering he already was No. 5 in Bellator’s rankings at 185 pounds before his win over Adams.

“I continue to get better,” Rosta told MMA Junkie after the fight. “… I’m getting my experience in the cage. One thing I can take away from these decision victories, even though I don’t want to (have decision wins), is I’m getting more cage time and I’m learning to chain things together as I go.

“Johnny Eblen’s the champ in our weight class. He’s one of my teammates and he pushes me every day in the gym. One day, we might have to fight each other. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that, but at the end of the day, it’s just business. But until that day, I’m going to keep training with him and keep getting better, because he pushes me. He’s a beast … I think he has all the qualities I have, plus a good gas tank. He’s a really good fighter, and I’m blessed to have people like him in the gym.”

Rosta said he’d like to fight John Salter, who is ranked No. 3 in Bellator’s middleweight division, but so far hasn’t been able to get it on the books.

“(Salter) is like Romero Cotton 2.0 – he keeps ducking me,” Rosta said. “They tried making the fight twice. There was never any contracts like there was with Romero Cotton. Nonetheless, they’ve offered me the name and the fight never came to fruition. I don’t know what’s going on on his end, but hopefully they can make that fight happen.”

To hear Rosta talk about his win over Adams, training with the champ, and what he wants next, check out the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 289.

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NORWICH, Conn. – [autotag]Dalton Rosta[/autotag] has seen some quick recent rises in Bellator’s middleweight division, and knows he could be next on the list.

His American Top Team teammate Austin Vanderford fought for the 185-pound title earlier this year when he was 11-0. Current champ Johnny Eblen, another of Rosta’s teammates, got a shot at Gegard Mousasi in June when he was 11-0 and won the belt.

If Rosta (7-0 MMA, 7-0 BMMA) beats Anthony Adams (9-2 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) on Friday at Bellator 289, he’ll move to 8-0. And another 3-0 year in 2023 would put him at 11-0, which seems to be a magic number lately.

But Rosta said even if he can see a path to title contention, it doesn’t mean he’s trying to fast-track his way there.

Check out the full media day interview with Rosta above.

Bellator 289 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Showtime following prelims on MMA Junkie.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 289.