Raoni Barcelos recovering in the hospital. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/raonibarcelos_ufc
Last Saturday (26), Raoni Barcelos starred in a moment that shocked fans and MMA professionals. In the main fight of UFC Vegas 121 , the Brazilian fought a real battle against Raul Rosas Jr. , suffered a sudden illness in the fifth and final round and fainted in the octagon. Since then, the UFC and the fighter's team have updated his health status. On Monday (28), the veteran himself came to the public for the first time after the sad event.
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On his official Instagram account, Raoni shared a video in which he makes a point of thanking everyone for the massive support he has been receiving. In it, the 39-year-old Brazilian appears in a hospital bed and, despite the graphic image, makes it clear that he is recovering from the scare. However, there are still no further details about what caused the athlete to black out during the fight against the American, nor the results of the tests. In any case, the veteran is optimistic and assures that he will bounce back, indicating that he is not even thinking about the possibility of retiring.
"Hey everyone! Just dropping by to reassure you and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the love, messages, and prayers. I was having a great fight, feeling really good, winning round after round, including the fifth. Unfortunately, I ended up collapsing. It was a scare for all of us, but I'm being closely monitored."
"As soon as I have more information, I will share it with you, but I can say that I am doing great. God's will is greater than ours. I never imagined receiving so much support. Thank you all for being with me at this time. You can be sure that I fought with everything I had and I will continue fighting to honor my family's name in pursuit of my dream."
“I hope my journey also inspires others to keep moving forward, with determination, in search of a better life. Thank you to the UFC for all the support, to my family, my team, and everyone who is cheering and praying for me. I love you all! We will get through this together. And, like a fine wine, I will come back even better 🙏🏼”
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After being knocked down by the American, Raoni lost consciousness, only regaining it some time later and leaving the octagon on a stretcher. From then on, many began to speculate about what happened to the Brazilian, considering the possibility that he had suffered a stroke or a heart problem.
Later, the UFC announced that the Brazilian had suffered a sudden illness. Subsequently, coach Davi Ramos reassured fans, ruling out that Raoni had suffered a stroke or heart attack during the fight.
Official statement from the UFC.
“Following his struggle, Raoni Barcelos was immediately transported to a Level 1 trauma center for evaluation. The hospital's medical team performed a CT scan and a comprehensive assessment, and he is currently being monitored.”
"Barcelos is stable, alert and responsive, with full mobility. He will remain under medical supervision. We will provide updates on his health status as soon as they become available."
Watch the shocking moment
An insane ending! @RaulRosasJr8 fights through five rounds for a win at #UFCVegas121 pic.twitter.com/ke0MkdoJJN
— UFC (@ufc) September 27, 2026
RAUL ROSAS ends it in RD 5 @RaulRosasJr8 | #UFCVegas121 pic.twitter.com/LLGX1zrVxy
— UFC (@ufc) September 27, 2026
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