Barcelos stable and responsive after stretcher exit at UFC Vegas 121

Raoni Barcelos is stable and responsive after being stretchered out of the Octagon during his third-round stoppage loss to Raul Rosas Jr. at UFC Vegas 121 on September 27, 2026. The UFC confirmed the 39-year-old Brazilian was transported to a Level 1 trauma center, where he underwent a CT scan and a comprehensive medical assessment.

“Following his fight tonight, Raoni Barcelos was immediately transported to a Level 1 trauma center for evaluation,” the UFC said in a statement released hours after the event. “The hospital medical team conducted a CT scan and comprehensive assessment, and he is currently being monitored. Barcelos is stable, alert and responsive, with full movement. He will remain under medical supervision. We will provide updates on his condition as they become available.”

The alarming finish came during a wrestling exchange against the Octagon wall in the final round, when Barcelos appeared to go limp. The referee immediately waved off the contest, and medical staff removed him from the cage on a stretcher. His coach had initially provided reassurance before the UFC issued its official statement.

The stoppage was all the more striking given the context of the fight. Barcelos had been ahead on the scorecards entering the third round, and both men had traded significant damage throughout a high-paced, back-and-forth contest. The bout was subsequently awarded Fight of the Night honours, a reflection of the entertainment value before the concerning conclusion.

Barrelos, a veteran of 13 UFC appearances, had entered the fight with considerable experience at the highest level of the sport. Rosas Jr., by contrast, has been one of the promotion’s most closely watched young prospects, and the victory further cements his standing in the bantamweight division.