Fighter In-depth: Dalton Rosta (Patreon)

Pennsylvania's Dalton Rosta is a thriving middleweight for Bellator MMA. After a flourishing amateur career going 7-0, he went pro in March of 2019. His pro debut was as well his Bellator debut. As an amateur, Rosta finished all seven of his opponents all by KO/TKO. Rosta won light-heavyweight gold for the BMC, Rivers Rumble, and Pinnacle FC promotions. In his last fight as an amateur before turning pro, he beat another good prospect in Cody Brundage. 

Currently, Rosta has a profound pro record of 5-0 all inside the Bellator cage. Rosta was built up slow in Bellator as his first three fights were against fighters young in their career. In his last two fights, he proved himself against tough guys in Tony Johnson and Ty Gwerder. Starting off at light-heavyweight in his first two pro fights and nearly his entire amateur career he moved down to middleweight a year ago. As he's said in various interviews in the past his goal is to dominate at both 185 and 205. 

Rosta is a standout wrestler who took part in jiu-jitsu and boxing from a young age and played one year of college football for Youngstown State as a linebacker. Rosta is one of the most improved fighters that has leveled up so rapidly in each fight I've seen in a long time. Coming into his pro career Rosta was listed as a primary wrestler. As he is an outstanding wrestler he's got some admirable striking. 

Rosta doesn't have that win coming by knockout nor a finish coming by striker outside of ground and pound. I can assure you that it is coming. The reason he doesn't have that knockout stoppage is that Rosta has his opponents so focused on his hands he uses that to set up his wrestling. Rosta is more threatening in close-knit range. His combinations show out more up close but still has a good jab at range and rolls with punches well.  "Hercules" does a fine job when he throws he dips his head to the side. That allows him to slip punches and not have his head sitting on that centerline. Rosta throws a good check left hook and will throw just as much with both hands. He's only shown glimpses but when he ducks his head while throwing he rips the body so well which is fantastic work. Rosta throws with some real row power and is accurate in the same sense. He's always putting his hands together never just throwing one punch at a time. I love the way his striking just flows when he gets going. Rosta even operates with kicks kicking the legs mainly. Even wheel kicks Rosta will throw from time to time.

Rosta with his developing striking is a strong wrestler with an exquisite ground game. He will shoot in from the outside behind his punches. He's good at getting in on the hips pulling guys towards his hip and completing the takedown. Rosta is all power so muscling guys around is no problem. Rosta is a problem once he's in top position. His ground and pound is heavy and frequent. Although there isn't a submission victory his jiu-jitsu is worthy.

From New Castle, Pennsylvania Rosta trained out of the Mat Factory Wrestling Club. Now he's made the move to Coconut Creek, Florida training with top-level talent at American Top Team. Now he's in the gym with some of the best in the world leveling up every time he steps into the gym. Expect to see Rosta ranked in the Bellator rankings soon, expect to see him main eventing Bellator cards, and even competing for titles.