UFC Vegas 121 went down last Saturday night (Sat. Sept. 26, 2026) inside Meta Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, leaving several fighters feeling the post-fight blues.
Among them was Melissa Amaya, who was knocked out by Tina Black (highlights). And Sedriques Dumas, who was submitted by UFC newcomer, Luis Hernandez, in the very first round (see it here). But of course, the scariest finish of the night was Raoni Barcelos passing out in the final round of his fight against Raul Rosas Jr.
For nearly five rounds, the two men went at it, gave some licks and absorbed some, providing fight fans with a classic that was going to be tough for judges to score. Unfortunately for Barcelos it didn’t go the distance, as he suffered the aforementioned knockout defeat halfway through the round.
It was one of the most bizarre finishes to a fight ever because there was no apparent strike that forced Barcelos to go out. He was simply taken down, not hard, and went out. Thankfully Rosas Jr. didn’t proceed to punch him hard once he knew Barcelos wasn’t well.
Barcelos was taken out on a stretcher and transported to the local hospital for further testing, where nothing has been made official regarding what happened. The important thing is reports have Barcelos, talking, walking and eating. Naturally, he will likely be in the hospital for a bit longer for precautionary measures.
“I’m here with this message to bring some good news and reassurance to everyone who has been sending messages to Raoni’s team and family,” said Barcelos’ doctor, Dr. Gustavo Medeiros, via MMA Fighting. “As everyone knows, Raoni suffered a sudden illness during the fight and was initially hospitalized as a precaution.
“At this moment, he is lucid and oriented. I’m in direct contact with our team there in the United States, in Las Vegas, so I’m very well informed about the situation. He is lucid and oriented at this moment, and he is hospitalized strictly as a matter of protocol. He needs to remain under observation for a few days to assess his condition and make sure that everything remains stable and that he continues to do well. … He is doing well, and he’ll be back with you soon, much stronger.”
The harrowing scene reminded us just how dangerous combat sports can be, but not everyone is as lucky as Barcelos. Case in point, 26-year old Mexican boxer, Arturo Torres, died yesterday, a week after collapsing in the ring following fight against Gilberto Garcia in Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. The referee stopped the fight in the seventh round, after which Torres collapsed in the ring. He was rushed to the local hospital where doctors diagnosed a blood clot on his brain. After performing emergency surgery, he was placed him in a medically induced coma.
Six days later he passed away.
As fans, sometimes we forget the dangers each man and woman put themselves in once they decide to step foot inside the cage or ring, regardless of how skilled they are. These trained combatants make it look painless and, at times, easy. But that’s why they are at the highest level of the sport. Still, there are only human and the pain, the hurt and the dangers are very, very real.
For complete UFC Vegas 121 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.