Raul Rosas Jr. scores bizarre fifth-round KO over Raoni Barcelos. Raul Rosas Jr. survives a grueling five-round battle with Raoni Barcelos before securing a bizarre knockout in the final round of UFC Vegas 121.
The UFC returns to the Meta APEX in Las Vegas on September 26, 2026, with Raul Rosas Jr. and Raoni Barcelos headlining UFC Fight Night in a five-round bantamweight showdown. The matchup pits one of the UFC’s youngest rising contenders against an experienced Brazilian veteran, with both fighters entering the main event on five-fight winning streaks.
At just 21 years old, Rosas Jr. has already established himself as one of the division’s most intriguing young fighters. The No. 12-ranked bantamweight enters the contest with a 12-1 professional record and six UFC finishes by submission or knockout. He most recently defeats Rob Font by unanimous decision in March, extending his winning streak to five.
Raoni Barcelos also arrives in Las Vegas on a five-fight winning streak, with his latest victory coming against Montel Jackson in UFC Vegas 116 in April 2026. The Brazilian edges Jackson by split decision after three rounds, extending his current run of success.
Rosas Jr. starts the fight aggressively, switching stances and attacking with calf kicks while Barcelos looks for opportunities to land his uppercut and right hand. Barcelos finds the body early, but Rosas responds with pressure and sharp combinations. He lands several clean hooks and opens a cut on Barcelos’ nose before the Brazilian changes levels and secures a takedown. Rosas remains active from his back, throwing hammerfists and scrambling back to his feet. The two then return to a high-paced striking exchange, trading heavily in close range. Barcelos begins to find his rhythm late in the round, but Rosas continues to stand his ground and fire back in combinations.
Barcelos comes forward early and begins finding the body with his combinations in round two. Rosas continues attacking with his calf kicks and presses forward with his boxing. The pace remains high, but Barcelos starts landing more consistently as Rosas begins to slow. A snatch single gets Barcelos a takedown, although Rosas quickly returns to his feet. Barcelos then lands a big right hand before scoring another takedown. Rosas turtles and Barcelos briefly looks for back control and a choke. Rosas escapes and the pair return to striking, with both men continuing to exchange until the horn.
Rosas comes out looking refreshed in round three but his output is lower than in the opening rounds. He attempts a single-leg, but Barcelos stuffs it, trips him and takes the top position. Barcelos then works toward back control with a body lock. Rosas manages to turn into the Brazilian’s guard and finds his best position of the round. From the top, Rosas lands punches before moving into half guard. Barcelos works his way back to his feet and later secures another takedown, pressing Rosas against the fence. The veteran continues to find success with his jab and takedown attempts. Late in the round, Barcelos gets to Rosas’ back again, but Rosas scrambles up. Barcelos follows with a head kick as the fighters close out another frenetic round.
Barcelos begins to take control of the fight in round four. The Brazilian uses his jab and body shots to back Rosas up, while Rosas’s output noticeably drops. Barcelos secures a snatch single and foot sweep before taking Rosas back to the fence. When Rosas attempts to get up, Barcelos drags him back down and begins working ground-and-pound. The veteran then takes Rosas’ back and starts looking for a rear-naked choke. Rosas initially fights off the submission, but Barcelos gets deeper on a second attempt and secures strong back control. Rosas continues defending the choke until the end of the round, surviving a difficult five minutes but absorbing sustained control and ground strikes.
Rosas comes out for the final round with renewed urgency, knowing he needs a strong finish to change the momentum of the fight. He immediately increases his movement and pressure, but Barcelos responds by taking him down. Rosas quickly scrambles back up and continues throwing with urgency. Rosas begins emptying the tank, pressing Barcelos toward the fence and eventually securing a trip takedown. Rosas advances into top position, but then the fight suddenly takes a terrifying turn. As Rosas completes the takedown, Barcelos appears to lose consciousness from the impact and goes limp. Rosas recognizes that something is wrong and immediately stops attacking. The referee intervenes at 1:38 of Round 5, awarding Rosas Jr. the victory by knockout. Replays leave the precise mechanism of the knockout unclear. Barcelos receives medical attention and is taken from the arena on a stretcher. Rosas later expresses concern for his opponent and calls for prayers for him during his post-fight interview.
