The UFC Vegas 121 main event clash between Raoni Barcelos and Raul Rosas Jr. ended in scary fashion in the fifth round when the Brazilian bantamweight went unconscious for apparent no reason during a clinch exchange. Barcelos was rushed to the hospital for exams after the bout, and his head coach Davi Ramos shared on social media he is now back to his senses.
The UFC released a statement hours after the incident to confirm Barcelos was transported to a Level 1 trauma center for evaluation and was “stable, alert and responsive, with full movement” after a “CT scan and comprehensive assessment” were conducted.
“Raoni is doing well,” Ramos said in Portuguese on a video posted on social media. “He has all his senses, he’s moving his leg, his arm, his hand, he’s conscious, he’s talking, everything is fine with him. He’s undergoing some tests, and pretty soon he’ll be here to talk to you guys.”
“I just wanted to let you know so you can all stay calm,” he continued. “Keep praying for him. He’s undergoing all the tests that are standard in a situation like this. He’ll have to rest because of what happened, but God willing, everything will be fine. He’ll be here with us soon and he’ll be talking to you guys. Thank you to everyone who’s been sending messages, positive energy, praying and keeping all of us in your prayers.”
Barcelos was up in all three scorecards going into the final round, including a 10-8 in round four for one of the judges, meaning he was a little over three minutes away from a decision victory. The loss snapped what would be his sixth straight victory in the UFC.
“We had a great fight,” Ramos said. “We practice a sport that we can’t predict, unfortunately, but we know for sure that we were doing our best. Raoni is a warrior, a phenomenal fighter, and he showed you that with all the technique he has, all the skill and heart he has. He showed everything about where he wants to go, where we all want to go, with all the work we’ve been putting in. Congratulations to him, and thank you all for the messages. Keep praying for him, and pretty soon he’ll be back here with us to put on another great show.”
Update: Ramos also shared a statement from Barcelos’ doctor, Dr. Gustavo Medeiros.
“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. 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.”
