One of Raoni Barcelos’ corner team members, former UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira, disclosed that Barcelos experienced brain swelling following his alarming defeat to Raul Rosas Jr. in the UFC Vegas 121 main event last September. During the fifth round of their bantamweight match at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas, the 39-year-old Barcelos suddenly lost consciousness and was immediately attended to by medical staff before being taken out on a stretcher. At that moment, Barcelos was leading on all three judges’ scorecards, and there was no clear strike that seemed to have caused the blackout.
On his Portuguese-language “Overdogs” podcast, Teixeira shared that doctors found “some swelling in [Barcelos’] brain,” suggesting that he might have suffered a traumatic brain injury which likely caused his blackout as a protective response by his body. Teixeira explained that this incident differed from a typical knockout because Barcelos’ mind was fighting harder than his body, refusing to quit despite the injury.
Teixeira said, “It wasn’t a knockout, so we were unsure at first—could it have been a heart issue or something neurological? Tests showed brain swelling which probably led to the blackout as the body’s defense. His mind was stronger than his body; he didn’t want to give up.”
Shortly after the event, Uncrowned’s Ariel Helwani reported that Barcelos had regained consciousness and was responsive, able to move his fingers and toes. The UFC later confirmed that he was “stable, alert and responsive, with full movement.” Barcelos himself provided a hopeful update on Monday, saying he was “doing great,” and he was released from the hospital on Tuesday night.
The dramatic ending to UFC Vegas 121 cut short what had been a strong performance from Barcelos, who seemed just moments away from extending his win streak in the UFC to six fights. Rosas shared with Uncrowned that he had feared the worst immediately after the fight stopped. “I was just sitting there, praying,” Rosas said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “I said a quick prayer, hoping he would wake up and return to his family.”
Looking ahead, Teixeira noted that Barcelos’ future in fighting is uncertain and that he needs to complete further medical evaluations before any decisions about his career can be made. “That’s a conversation he will have with his family and team,” Teixeira stated. “He needs thorough testing to determine what caused it and if it was truly fight-related. It’s a decision that requires great caution and care.”
Fan Take: This news is critical for fight fans as it highlights the serious health risks athletes face, even when not visibly knocked out, emphasizing the importance of medical vigilance in combat sports. Barcelos’ case could prompt the UFC and other organizations to review and possibly enhance safety protocols to better protect fighters from unseen injuries.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
