Ludo Sáenz Lorenzo-LuacesUFC returns this Saturday, September 26, to the Meta APEX in Las Vegas with a 12-fight card headlined by an attractive bantamweight duel between Raul Rosas Jr. and Raoni Barcelos, a clash that will pit two fighters separated by almost two decades of age against each other, but united by a winning streak that has once again placed their names among the protagonists of the division.
Rosas Jr., just 21 years old, will have the opportunity to headline a UFC event for the first time, while Barcelos, at 39, will seek to use all his experience to stop the rise of one of the organization's best-known young talents.
The fight will be between two ranked fighters. Rosas Jr. is ranked number 12 in the bantamweight division , while Barcelos is ranked 13th. Both are coming off five consecutive wins in the UFC , so the fight could have significant consequences for both of their careers.
¡Perú tiene nuevo representante en UFC! Piero Guaylupo vence a Callum Connor y conquista su contratoRosas Jr. became a UFC media figure before he turned 18.
The fighter of Mexican descent obtained his UFC contract after participating in Dana White's Contender Series and subsequently made history by becoming the youngest fighter to debut and win within the organization.
Now, about to turn 22, he will have the biggest stage of his career so far.
Rosas Jr. boasts a professional record of 12-1 , with a 6-1 record in the UFC . His only loss came in 2023 against Christian Rodriguez, but he has since built a five-fight winning streak.
His last fight was particularly important. At UFC 326, he defeated veteran Rob Font by unanimous decision , once again using wrestling as his primary tool to control the action.
Rosas's formula is well-known, but it remains difficult to counter. Pressure against the cage, clinch, takedowns, and control from top positions are all part of a system that has allowed him to become one of the best control specialists in the bantamweight division.
According to the UFC, Rosas has the highest percentage of time in control in the division's history and absorbs less than 1.5 significant strikes per minute.
This time, however, he will face an opponent who knows grappling inside and out.
Raoni Barcelos represents the other side of this confrontation.
The Brazilian is 39 years old and has extensive training in judo, Brazilian jiu-jitsu and wrestling, in addition to a long professional career in MMA.
Barcelos has developed a complete style, combining his takedown ability with striking and a remarkable reading of combat.
That experience can be particularly important against a rival like Rosas Jr.
The Brazilian has gone the distance in 10 of his last 12 UFC appearances , winning seven of those fights by decision. That ability to manage the pace and stay competitive for the full 15 minutes will be put to the test once again.
Barcelos is also on a five-game winning streak , so he's not coming to the Meta APEX simply as a veteran ready to resist the rise of a new generation.
He arrives as a ranked fighter who is also looking to advance within the division.
The main event will be accompanied by a middleweight clash between Rodolfo Vieira and Robert Bryczek .
Vieira, a top-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, will be looking to return to winning ways after suffering two consecutive defeats. The 36-year-old Brazilian needs to rediscover victory in a division where every setback can quickly change the landscape.
Bryczek, also 36, is looking to establish himself in the UFC. The Polish fighter has had mixed results in his first appearances in the organization and will try to bring the fight to his striking style.
One of the additional attractions of UFC Vegas 121 will be the presence of two finals of The Ultimate Fighter 34 .
In the bantamweight division, Mehemmedeli Osmanli will face Ilimbek Akylbek , while in the women's strawweight division, Melissa Amaya will face Valesca "Tina Black" Machado .
Osmanli, 22, reached the final after scoring finishes throughout his run on the show and boasts a professional record of 12-1.
Akylbek is also 22 years old and advanced to the final after winning both of his fights in the competition by decision.
The women's final will pit Amaya, who comes in undefeated with an 8-0 record, against Machado, a veteran with experience in different organizations and regional titles before returning to the UFC stage.
The winner of each final will become the champion of their respective category in The Ultimate Fighter 34 .
Another important fight on the main card will be the bantamweight bout between Brady Hiestand and Rinya Nakamura .
Nakamura, representing Japan, arrives with a strong reputation as a prospect and will face Hiestand in a match that can serve to measure how far both can go within a particularly competitive division.
The main card is thus completed with five fights, while another seven matches will be part of the preliminaries.
Main listings
Raúl Rosas Jr. vs. Raoni Barcelos — bantamweight
Rodolfo Vieira vs. Robert Bryczek — middleweight
Mehemmedeli Osmanli vs. Ilimbek Akylbek — bantamweight, TUF 34 finale
Melissa Amaya vs. Valesca “Tina Black” Machado — women's strawweight, TUF 34 finale
Brady Hiestand vs. Rinya Nakamura — bantamweight
Preliminaries
Rodolfo Bellato vs. Christian Edwards — light heavyweight
Elves Brener vs. Josiah Harrell — lightweight
Montel Jackson vs. Ricky Simon — bantamweight
Norma Dumont vs. Ailín Pérez — women's bantamweight
John Castaneda vs. Alatengheili — bantamweight
Mickey Gall vs. Sedriques Dumas — middleweight
Vanessa Demopoulos vs. Yazmin Jauregui — Women's Strawweight
The official fight card includes 12 fights in total.
UFC Vegas 121: Rosas Jr. vs. Barcelos will take place this Saturday , September 26, 2026 at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada .
The main card is scheduled to begin at 8:00 pm ET / 5:00 pm PT , while the preliminary fights will start at 5:00 pm ET / 2:00 pm PT .
In the United States, the event will be streamed live on Paramount+ and is not pay-per-view. Paramount+ confirmed that UFC events at this stage are available on the platform via subscription.
In Latin America it will also be available through Paramount+ in markets such as Mexico, Panama, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela , according to the international broadcast information published for the event.
The main attraction of UFC Vegas 121 is concentrated in the fight that will close the night.
Raúl Rosas Jr. wants to continue building his path to the bantamweight elite and will have the opportunity to achieve a victory over another ranked fighter before turning 22.
Raoni Barcelos , for his part, will seek to demonstrate that his experience, his knowledge of grappling and his ability to handle long fights can become decisive tools against one of the most aggressive young fighters in the division.
Rosas comes in with five consecutive UFC wins . Barcelos also has five straight victories .
One represents the new generation seeking to break precocity records. The other belongs to a generation of fighters who have learned to survive and compete for years at the elite level.
This Saturday, both will have 15 minutes —or less— to demonstrate which of those paths can lead them to the next step of the division.
