Raoni Barcelos can walk, talk and eat but remains in hospital after his loss to Raul Rosas Jr. at UFC Vegas 121, and his doctor says he is being kept only as a precaution.
Ariel Helwani reported on Sunday, per sources, that Barcelos is “very conscious and lucid” and able to walk and eat. Helwani said it was still unclear what happened and how long Barcelos would be in hospital.
Barcelos’ doctor, Gustavo Medeiros, said in a video that Barcelos suffered a “sudden illness” during the fight and is lucid and oriented. “He’s lucid but remains hospitalized only by protocol,” Medeiros said, adding that Barcelos needs a few days of observation.
The UFC said Barcelos was taken to a Level 1 trauma center for a CT scan and a comprehensive assessment and was “stable, alert and responsive, with full movement.”
The 39-year-old was ahead on all three scorecards going into the fifth round. He appeared to freeze during a clinch against the cage and went limp after Rosas Jr. took him down. The fight was stopped and Barcelos was taken out on a stretcher. He regained consciousness at the hospital that night, and his coach, Davi Ramos, said in a Portuguese video that “Raoni is fine.”
Broadcaster Paul Felder, who was on the call for the fight, called it “by far the scariest” moment of his career, MMA Fighting reported.
Rosas Jr., 21, wrote “Prayers to my opponent” in an Instagram post on Monday, adding that the two “pushed each other to our limits.” Both fighters took Fight of the Night honors for the main event.
