UFC bantamweight veteran Raoni Barcelos was taken to a local hospital on a stretcher after a sudden fifth-round knockout loss to Raul Rosas Jr. at UFC Vegas 121 in Las Vegas.
Barcelos appeared to lose consciousness during a takedown exchange at 1:38 of the fifth round, prompting an immediate stoppage by the referee.
The 39-year-old remained immobile inside the Octagon before medical personnel removed him on a stretcher for emergency evaluation.
Despite the abrupt defeat, Barcelos had built a commanding advantage throughout the high-paced bout, which featured over 300 combined total strikes and 22 takedown attempts from Barcelos.
Scorecards revealed that Barcelos was leading on all three judges' metrics heading into the final frame, including a 10-8 round in the fourth on one scorecard.
Medical Update and Rosas' Reaction
The promotion announced that both athletes were transferred to a medical facility to undergo head and neck scans.
Reports from Uncrowned's Ariel Helwani confirmed that Barcelos regained consciousness at the facility and retains full movement in his fingers and toes.
Addressing the crowd following his victory, Rosas expressed concern for his opponent's condition.
"I want everybody tonight to please pray for Raoni Barcelos. He's a warrior," said Rosas Jr., UFC bantamweight fighter.
The victory marked the sixth consecutive win for the 21-year-old Rosas, while Barcelos dropped to a 22-6 professional record.
Medical authorities have not yet released the detailed results of the hospital scans.
