--- canonical_url: "https://notifight.com/contenido/67457/ufc-vegas-121-pits-raul-rosas-jr-against-raoni-barcelos" title: "UFC Vegas 121 pits Raúl Rosas Jr. against Raoni Barcelos" article_type: "NewsArticle" description: "UFC Vegas 121 pits Raúl Rosas Jr. against Raoni Barcelos this Saturday, September 26. Check out the full fight card, start time, venue, and broadcast details." main_image: "https://notifight.com/download/multimedia.grande.a7bfac7834e2007f.Z3JhbmRlLndlYnA%3D.webp" date_published: "2026-09-24T07:02:00-05:00" date_modified: "2026-09-24T07:10:17-05:00" tags: - "Las Vegas" - "MMA" - "Paramount+" - "UFC" author_name: "Ludo Sáenz Lorenzo-Luaces" author_url: "https://notifight.com/usuario/2/ludo-saenz-lorenzo-luaces" author_bio: "Ludo Sáenz Lorenzo-Luaces es un periodista panameño especializado en boxeo, fundador de NotiFight y reconocido por su cobertura analítica y detallada de los grandes eventos del pugilismo mundial. Es miembro de la Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) y elector del Salón de la Fama del Boxeo Internacional (IBHOF), distinciones que subrayan su autoridad dentro del periodismo boxístico. Con más de 25 años de trayectoria, Sáenz ha sido galardonado en múltiples ocasiones, incluyendo seis premios de la Asociación Mundial de Boxeo (WBA), dos del Consejo Mundial de Boxeo (WBC) y uno de la Asociación Internacional de Boxeo (IBA) por excelencia periodística. Su estilo se caracteriza por la precisión, el contexto y la profundidad de análisis que imprime a cada nota, combinando crónicas de combate, perfiles de boxeadores y estudios estratégicos del deporte. Gracias a ello, se ha consolidado como una de las voces más influyentes del boxeo en habla hispana. Además de su labor periodística, Sáenz ha respaldado su carrera con una sólida formación académica. Ingeniero graduado en Missouri State University, Estados Unidos. Actualmente, doctorando en Comunicaciones en la Universidad Católica Andrés Bello de Caracas, Venezuela, Sáenz reafirma que su pasión por el conocimiento y la difusión avanza de la mano con su firme compromiso con el boxeo." author_social_links: - "https://x.com/LudoSaenz" - "https://www.linkedin.com/in/ludo-saenz-lorenzo-luaces-2068093b" category_name: "NEWS" category_url: "https://notifight.com/categoria/20/news" category_description: "All Boxing News, MMA News and NotiFight News from around the World." --- # UFC Vegas 121 pits Raúl Rosas Jr. against Raoni Barcelos **UFC** 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. ![image (3)](/download/multimedia.normal.9927e389b7d542ea.bm9ybWFsLndlYnA%3D.webp) *UFC* 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. Peru has a new representative in the UFC! Piero Guaylupo defeats Callum Connor and wins his contract ## Raúl Rosas Jr., youth and a fight that is already making history Rosas 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. Piwowarczyk, Guaylupo, Degli, Dasuyev and Novenyi Jr. triumph in Las Vegas ## Raoni Barcelos arrives with experience and five consecutive victories **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. Cyril Gane questions Tom Aspinall's mental fortitude after controversy over eye injury ## The co-starring event also features an interesting duel 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. ## The Ultimate Fighter 34 finals are coming to Las Vegas 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** . Sean Strickland reveals he was in an accident: “I’m an idiot, I wasn’t wearing a helmet” ## Rinya Nakamura is also looking to make a leap 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. ## Full UFC Vegas 121 fight card **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. ## When and where is UFC Vegas 121? **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. ## Youth versus experience in the main 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. --- *Contenido creado y optimizado para IA con [Medios CMS](https://medios.io)* — Plataforma profesional para la gestión de medios digitales y portales de noticias.