Raoni Barcelos, UFC Vegas 121 Weigh-Ins Credit: Pat Danna/Cageside Press
The thrilling fight, with a scary finish, that was the UFC Vegas 121 main event wound up taking home Fight of the Night honors on Saturday.
Across the better part of five rounds, Raul Rosas Jr. and Raoni Barcelos put on a dazzling display of mixed martial arts, slugging it out, mixing in takedowns, and overall pushing the limits of human endurance. The pace was breakneck from the outset, and in the fourth round, Barcelos came close to a submission. Then, in the final frame, it was Rosas earning a knockout win, after Barcelos was left dazed after a takedown.
Given Rosas had landed all of a single weak hammerfist then voluntarily backed off, the finish was a headscratcher. Barcelos, however, was motionless, displaying labored breathing, and had to be taken out of the cage on a stretcher. Medical staff were seen checking the Brazilian fighter’s pulse.
A scary scene, though sources have since told Cageside Press that Barcelos is awake and at least partially moving at hospital, while he’ll remain while underdoing further testing. A report by Ariel Helwani notes Barcelos underwent a CT scan.
Up to the scary finish, Rosas vs. Barcelos was a Fight of the Year contender, and not surprisingly, the bantamweight fight earned Fight of the Night honors at UFC Vegas 121.
Performance of the Night bonuses, meanwhile, went to Yazmin Jauregui, for her bombardment of Vanessa Demopoulos after two years out of action, and short-notice newcomer Luis Hernandez. An active duty police officer, Hernandez, who just won on the Contender Series, stepped in against Sedriques Dumas on just two days notice, submitting him via guillotine choke. Dumas, coincidentally, is the most arrested fighter in the UFC, with no fewer than 14 arrests and multiple convictions. Fight fans played the booking up as Cop vs. Felon, and in the end, law enforcement won.
All four bonus winners take home $100,000 for their efforts. Montel Jackson, Elves Brener, Christian Edwards, Brady Hiestand, and Valesca Machado also pocketed $25,000 finish bonuses.