TLDR
- Raoni Barcelos lost consciousness during wrestling exchange in fifth round of UFC Vegas 121 on Sept. 26
- Barcelos was ahead on scorecards before suddenly going limp and losing the fight by technical knockout
- Medical tests revealed swelling in Barcelos’ brain, described as traumatic brain injury
- Corner coach Glover Teixeira said doctors tested for heart and neurological issues due to unusual nature of collapse
- Teixeira speculated body’s defense mechanism shut Barcelos down because he was exhausted but wouldn’t quit
Sources: sherdog.com | sports.yahoo.com
Former UFC champion Glover Teixeira revealed that fighter Raoni Barcelos suffered brain swelling after mysteriously losing consciousness during his fight at UFC Vegas 121 last month.
Barcelos was competing in a five-round bantamweight bout against Raul Rosas Jr. at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Sept. 26. He was ahead on all three judges’ scorecards entering the final round.
During a wrestling exchange in the fifth round, Barcelos suddenly went limp and lost consciousness. The referee immediately stopped the fight, declaring Rosas Jr. the winner by technical knockout.
🚨JUST IN: RAONI BARCELOS HAS A MESSAGE FOR EVERYONE AND A HEALTH UPDATE AFTER THE SCARY ENDING 😳🙏
🗣️ “Everything is fine, I’m doing well. I’m recovering more every day. Thank you for all the prayers, all the vibes.”
📺 Via Barcelos IG 🔹 pic.twitter.com/vUoHmdAt4K
— FightLuck (@FightluckBet) October 5, 2026
Barcelos was rushed to a Level 1 trauma center following the incident. Teixeira, who served as Barcelos’ corner coach for the fight, shared medical details about what happened during an appearance on the Overdogs Brasil podcast.
Unusual Nature Prompted Extensive Testing
Teixeira explained that doctors conducted neurological testing because the loss of consciousness was not a typical knockout. The medical team wanted to rule out serious health issues beyond standard fight injuries.
“It was different because it wasn’t a knockout,” Teixeira said on the podcast. “If it had been a knockout, we’re used to that.”
He described the confusion in the immediate aftermath. “But this was something that happened out of nowhere, and we started thinking about all kinds of things,” Teixeira said.
The medical team considered multiple possibilities for what caused Barcelos to collapse. “Could it have been his heart? Could it have been something neurological?” Teixeira recalled thinking.
Doctors ran comprehensive tests to determine the cause. The results showed swelling in Barcelos’ brain.
Body’s Defense Mechanism May Have Caused Shutdown
“There was some swelling in his brain, so it was a traumatic brain injury and maybe that swelling caused him to black out,” Teixeira explained. He described the diagnosis doctors provided to the team.
Teixeira offered his interpretation of what the medical findings meant. He believes Barcelos’ body forced him to stop fighting because he was too exhausted to continue safely.
“It was the body’s defense mechanism,” Teixeira said. “‘Let’s shut this down because this guy isn’t going to stop.'”
The former UFC light heavyweight champion praised Barcelos’ fighting spirit. “His mind was stronger than his body, right? He didn’t want to give up,” Teixeira added.
Barcelos had been performing well in the fight before the sudden collapse. All three judges had him winning the first four rounds on their scorecards.
The 37-year-old Brazilian bantamweight was seeking an important victory in the main event slot. Instead, the fight ended in the most unexpected way possible with just minutes remaining.
Teixeira’s comments provide the first detailed medical information about Barcelos’ condition following the fight. The extent of Barcelos’ recovery and when he might return to competition remains unknown.
