WATCH: Raoni Barcelos Returns to the Meta APEX Spotlight Two Weeks After UFC Vegas 121 Scare
Raoni Barcelos was spotted at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on Saturday, just two weeks after his scary collapse at UFC Vegas 121.
Barcelos was seen in the crowd with his family during the UFC Vegas 122 broadcast.
Raoni Barcelos Spotted in Good Spirits With Family
The UFC cameras captured Raoni Barcelos with his family at the Meta APEX for this weekend's fight night, which was headlined by a middleweight clash between Brendan Allen and Christian Leroy Duncan. ACD MMA shared the clip on X, which read:
"Really good to see him."
What happened at UFC Vegas 121?
UFC veteran Raoni Barcelos took on the surging Raul Rosas Jr. in the main event of UFC Vegas 121. The 39-year-old was ahead on all three scorecards heading into the fifth round, but alas, he could not get the win.
In the final round, Rosas Jr. took Barcelos down, and suddenly the Brazilian was unconscious. The referee stepped in and stopped the fight, handing Rosas Jr. a TKO victory. The medics soon rushed in, and Barcelos was immediately stretched out of the octagon and taken to the Level 1 trauma centre for a CT scan.
A few days after this incident, Barcelos' doctor described his scary collapse as a sudden illness. However, Glover Teixeira, who was present in Barcelos' corner during the fight, gave a more detailed update on the illness.
Speaking on the Overdogs Brasil Podcast, Teixeira said that tests found swelling in Barcelos' brain. He described it as a traumatic brain injury that may have caused him to lose consciousness.
"They went in and ran the tests. There was some swelling in his brain, so it was a traumatic brain injury, and maybe that swelling caused him to black out. It was the body's defense mechanism. 'Let's shut this down because this guy isn't going to stop.' His mind was stronger than his body, right? He didn't want to give up."
Raoni Barcelos says He will Come Back "Even Better"
Raoni Barcelos, however, believes he just fainted. Although many have suggested that he should retire after what happened at UFC Vegas 121, the 39-year-old is not yet ready to say goodbye to the sport. He has promised a strong return. On Instagram, he wrote:
"We were putting up a great fight. I was feeling great, winning round by round, even in fifth. Unfortunately, I just fainted. It was a scare for all of us, but I'm being watched closely, in observation, and once I have more information, I'll share with you, but I can say I'm doing great".
"I hope that my walk will also inspire others to keep going, with grit, in pursuit of a better life. Thank you, UFC, for all the support, my family, my team, and every single person who's cheering and praying for me. I love you guys! Let's go through it together. And like a fine wine, I’ll come back even better".
