On September 26, 2026, at Meta APEX in Las Vegas, Raul Rosas Jr. won his first UFC main event in the final round. The 21-year-old bantamweight stopped veteran Raoni Barcelos 1 minute 38 seconds into Round 5, turning a demanding fight into the sixth consecutive victory of his young career.
The UFC’s official results list the finish as a technical knockout by slam. It was an unusually late ending for a fighter whose early career was built largely on quick submissions and explosive starts.
A fast start became a hard test
Rosas opened with improved striking and early energy, but Barcelos gradually brought his experience into the contest. The Brazilian veteran had entered the fight on a five-bout winning streak of his own and was competing in his first UFC main event after eight years with the promotion.
By the middle rounds, the momentum had shifted. The UFC recap described Barcelos as pulling ahead through experience and composure, forcing Rosas to solve a different problem from the short fights that made him famous as a teenage prospect.
The finish arrived in the fifth
Rosas attacked urgently in the last round. A little more than a minute into it, he drove Barcelos to the canvas near the fence. When Barcelos became unresponsive, Rosas immediately stopped advancing and signalled to the referee. The official time was 1:38 of Round 5.
MMA Fighting’s report independently described the takedown, the stoppage and Rosas stepping away once he recognised the situation. The promotion later awarded Rosas and Barcelos the Fight of the Night bonus, as confirmed by UFC Brazil.
From youngest debutant to five-round winner
Rosas first entered the UFC record book in 2022 as the youngest athlete ever to compete in the organisation. Four years later, the challenge was no longer about novelty. This was his first scheduled five-round bout, against a ranked veteran 18 years older, and it lasted longer than any of his previous UFC victories.
The UFC’s official statistical record book now includes the five-round Rosas-Barcelos contest among its bantamweight fight data. More importantly, Rosas left Las Vegas with a six-fight winning streak and proof that he could still find a finish deep into a main event. It was a significant step from prospect toward contender.
Sources and further reading
- UFC: official results and main-event recap
- UFC: official scorecards
- MMA Fighting: main-event report
- UFC Brazil: Fight of the Night announcement
