Raul Rosas Jr. Stops Raoni Barcelos via TKO After Injury in Round 5

Raul Rosas Jr. earned a technical knockout victory over Raoni Barcelos at 1:38 of the fifth round in the UFC Vegas 121 main event at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. The finish came after Barcelos suffered an apparent leg injury during a takedown late in the fight and was unable to continue, leaving the cage on a stretcher.

Barcelos, 39, appeared to be ahead on the official scorecards, with all three judges awarding him the first three rounds of the bantamweight contest. The Brazilian veteran entered the bout on a five-fight winning streak that included victories over Cody Garbrandt and Payton Talbott.

“He's never fought someone like me. Not trying to be better than others, but it's a style that can complicate his game more.”

Rosas Jr., 21, improved to 7-1 in the UFC and extended his current winning streak to six fights. The Mexican prospect, fighting in his first octagon main event, rebounded from his lone promotional loss to Christian Rodriguez in 2023.

The bout featured a historic 17-year age gap, the largest in UFC history. Rosas Jr. entered as the younger, larger fighter, utilizing stance switches and calf kicks, while Barcelos relied on wrestling, clinch work, and powerful uppercuts.

Before the fight, Barcelos predicted he would finish Rosas Jr., claiming the prospect had never faced an opponent with his level of wrestling and jiu-jitsu. He also reunited with longtime friend and former champion Glover Teixeira in his corner for the first time in nearly six years.