As with many talented up-and-comers who hit the ground running when they first arrive in the Octagon, expectations often out-pace realistic assessments of where a fighter stands in both their development and the divisional hierarchy, leading to more weight being given to stumbles than might otherwise be merited.
De La Rosa admits there have been times where she too has been frustrated by the setbacks she’s been forced to deal with, however, the former high school wrestler also acknowledges that her first three years on the UFC roster have been crucial to gaining increased comfort inside the Octagon and that her husband and coaches are often quick to remind her that time is on her side.
“It’s just really been about solidifying my place (in this division) and realizing this is what I’m meant to do,” De La Rosa said of her time on the roster. “Each and every time I get in the Octagon, I get more and more comfortable with it.
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“The first few times, it was really nerve-racking and I had to go through all that mental adversity, but now I feel like that is where I need to be and I’m getting more and more comfortable being in there.
“I think having my coaches around me and my husband around me all the time telling me ‘You’re still young’ and ‘You’re still growing as an athlete’ and knowing there is so much more I can do makes it a lot easier for me,” continued De La Rosa, whose husband, Mark, has split his time between the bantamweight and flyweight divisions.
“It makes a world of difference,” she added in regard to having a partner who is intimately familiar with the difficulties and struggles of the fighter lifestyle. “He was fighting before me, so he knows how long it takes to reach a certain level.
“He’s helped me with my career up until now and he will until the end.”
