UFC: Raoni Barcelos coach gives medical update after KO loss to Raul Rosas Jr. - MMA Junkie
One of the most concerning ends to a UFC fight in a long time happened Saturday, and it's still not entirely known what happened to the fighter on the wrong side of the ledger.
Raoni Barcelos was knocked out in during a takedown by Raul Rosas Jr. in the fifth round of the UFC Fight Night 289 main event in Las Vegas. The bantamweights put on a Fight of the Night battle that the scorecards showed Barcelos was winning three rounds to one heading to the last, meaning Rosas Jr. needed a finish to win the fight.
Rosas Jr. (13-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) clinched with Barcelos (22-6 MMA, 11-5 UFC) and landed a trip takedown along the fence. Barcelos went unconscious when they hit the mat. Replays showed there may have been contact from the top of Rosas Jr.'s head to Barcelos' chin when they landed, and that may have been enough to turn out the lights for the Brazilian.
Rosas Jr. realized Barcelos was out and started to celebrate, but soon after joined the concerned parties when Barcelos didn't regain consciousness. He was stretchered out of the cage at the Meta APEX and taken to a trauma center for observation.
Davi Ramos, a UFC veteran and a member of Barcelos' team, confirmed on social media that his teammate regained consciousness and was speaking at the hospital. Overnight, he also posted video updates of his condition and said he is moving, speaking, will soon be back to normal – and has to undergo more tests to determine what happened.
"Raoni is doing well. He has regained all his senses, he can move his leg, his arm, his hand, he is conscious, he speaks – everything is fine with him. He is undergoing a few more tests and, very soon, he will be here to talk to you.," Ramos said in an Instagram video (H/T Fight Talk).
"Following his fight tonight, Raoni Barcelos was immediately transported to a Level 1 trauma center for evaluation. 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."
