'I Can Be a Superstar' ... 13-Fight UFC Veteran Debuts in Jorge Masvidal's Bare Knuckle MMA

Former UFC Featherweight Charles Rosa previews upcoming fight vs. Peter Barrett at Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA.

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For the first time in a while, Charles Rosa will have fought someone who once called the UFC home.

Exclusive: UFC Veteran Charles Rosa & Brother Lucas Fight on Same Night at CES 78

13X UFC Veteran Rosa: "I've Fought The Best Of The Best..."

Rosa (18-8-1) entered the UFC very green in 2014, a little more than two years after his pro debut. He battled the best they had to offer, encountering Dennis Siver and former interim champion Yair Rodriguez in his first three fights in the Octagon.

"I'm willing to take on anybody. It's been a story in my whole career," Rosa told MMA Knockout. "I've fought the best of the best. Rodriguez, Bryce Mitchell, Dennis Siver, I fought a top number 8 guy in the world in my first UFC fight. I fought the best of the best, so I know I'm capable."

Capable of winning and defending the CES Championship in his post-UFC career is Rosa, who left the premier promotion on his terms; the 38-year-old wants to stay active as he nears 40 but is not a fan of being booked once a year under the UFC banner.

Upcoming Fight vs. Peter Barrett

Now 4-0 (all finishes) on the regional scene and looking to improve to 5, Rosa takes off the gloves this time for his promotional debut at Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA in Biloxi, Mississippi this weekend. Rosa matched up with former UFC fighter Peter Barrett, a regional champion like Rosa at Cage Titans, a leading promotion in New England.

"The submissions will be a little tighter," the 13X UFC veteran said of his upcoming bareknuckle debut. "The takedown is a little bit easier without the gloves. So there's a lot of factors that's factored into it, but, man, I'm just excited to get back and then do what I love."

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Rosa continued.

"I'm going out to finish him the second the fight starts to the second it ends. If he's tough enough to survive the barrage, survive the attacks, survive everything that I throw at him, then we'll see. I know he's a tough kid to see if he could survive it, but I doubt it, man.

"Do you you see what happened to the last 4 guys they put me in there with? I know I've taken out all the best. I just think that there's levels to this. He did fight in the UFC, fought at the top level, but, you know, he didn't fight at the level I was fighting. Now he wasn't fighting top 10 guys in the UFC like I was."

Barrett drew the short end of the UFC stick, losing his debut to top-25 talent Youssef Zalal and Chase Hooper being before let go by the promotion. On the bright side, Barrett has went 6-1 since then, catching his stride like Rosa.

"I'm gonna be there till the end, so we'll see what he can handle. Definitely gonna be exciting, but he is a tough, durable kid. He's definitely been around the game. He's put in the work, but he's running into he's running into his toughest opponent yet."

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Future In Bareknuckle MMA?

One of 14 ex-UFC stars on the card, Rosa hopes he can do big things for Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred Bareknuckle. At this point in his career, the Boston native is keeping his options open as to what's to come. After all, Rosa is a prizefighter, though the CES Champion wouldn't mind adding another belt to his collection.

"I'm in a great spot," Rosa said of a fifth-straight win on Friday. "I have other opportunities, some other promotions, and new things coming on. But, I have a really good feeling that I like the feel of this game of this Gamebred [Bareknuckle] and this type of fighting. I think it fits my style great and I think I can be a superstar and a champion of this.

"They're still building. It's a newer promotion, but I really see that their potential is endless. They could be as big as any show you've ever seen. I think Dean Toole's genius. He's a great matchmaker, and he has the funds in the in the background and the people to do it. They have a blueprint... I really think that they're capable of greatness. So I would love to be on their roster and help them achieve that."

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