UFC Vegas 121 Preview: Raul Rosas Jr. vs Raoni Barcelos Full Card, Weigh-In Results & Film Study
By Real Combat Media MMA Editorial Staff
Las Vegas, Nevada, (September 25th, 2026)–All 24 fighters made weight Friday, with only John Castaneda needing a second attempt, ahead of the UFC’s return home to the Meta Apex after a lengthy road trip. Raul Rosas Jr. headlines for the first time in his career, a bitter women’s bantamweight feud fills the co-main slot, and a late-notice weight class change adds an unusual wrinkle to the main card. Below is the full breakdown of the main card, complete weigh-in results, and the ceremonial weigh-in video.
Main Event: Raul Rosas Jr. vs Raoni Barcelos — Bantamweight (5 Rounds)
| Raul Rosas Jr. | Raoni Barcelos | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 12-1 | 22-5 |
| Age | 21 | 39 |
| Height | 5’9″ | 5’7″ |
| Reach | 67″ | 67″ |
| Stance | Southpaw | Orthodox |
Rosas Jr. gets his first main event at just 21 years old, already the youngest fighter to ever crack the UFC rankings, and he’s here on merit: the biggest win of his career came last time out, a decision over former title challenger Rob Font that turned “El Nino Problema” from prospect to bona fide contender. He lands a heavy 6.1 takedowns per fifteen minutes and has finished eight of his twelve career wins. Barcelos, eighteen years his senior, has quietly built one of the more remarkable second acts in the division, going from promising prospect to journeyman to a five-fight win streak that includes wins over Ricky Simon, Cody Garbrandt, Payton Talbott and Montel Jackson. He’s not intimidated by the age gap. “It doesn’t scare me,” Barcelos said at UFC Vegas 121 media day. Both men lean heavily on wrestling, with Rosas averaging more than double Barcelos’s takedown output, which makes the striking exchanges in between likely to decide it.
Keys to Victory: Rosas Jr. wants to use his length and volume of takedown attempts to wear Barcelos down over 25 minutes. Barcelos needs his experience and durability to survive the exchanges, keep this competitive into the championship rounds, and make the 39-year-old’s case that he’s still got enough left to spoil a rising star’s coming-out party.
Odds: Rosas Jr. -175 to -160, Barcelos +135 to +150
Co-Main Event: Norma Dumont vs Ailin Perez — Women’s Bantamweight
| Norma Dumont | Ailin Perez | |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 13-3 | 13-2 |
| Ranking | No. 2 | No. 5 |
This one has turned personal. Dumont, ranked second, saw a six-fight win streak snapped by Joselyne Edwards last time out but remains one of the toughest outs in the division. Perez, ranked fifth, owns the division’s longest active win streak at six fights and is one big win away from a title shot. The two have a real history: Perez says the tension started at the UFC Performance Institute last November, when she claims Dumont approached her with a group of women and threatened to knock her out, a confrontation Dumont has not confirmed. The animosity has spilled into fight week, with video circulating of Dumont throwing condoms and money at Perez during a faceoff. Perez has also accused Dumont of ducking a past booking around her win over Macy Chiasson in Mexico City. Whatever’s behind it, both women say it’s affected their camps, and neither is interested in hiding the dislike.
Keys to Victory: Dumont wants to keep this standing and use her striking and durability to win rounds against a smaller, faster opponent. Perez needs her elite takedown output, nearly five per fifteen minutes, to drag Dumont down and grind her out on the mat.
Odds: Perez -161 to -138, Dumont +117 to +138
Also on the Main Card
The card’s most unusual story belongs to Luis Hernandez and Sedriques Dumas. Dumas was originally booked against Mickey Gall at middleweight, but when Gall withdrew Thursday, Hernandez stepped in on short notice and the bout shifted up to light heavyweight — Hernandez weighed in seven pounds heavier than Dumas as a result. Elsewhere, unbeaten prospects clash as Mehemmedeli Osmanli takes on Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu at bantamweight, and Melissa Amaya meets Tina Black at strawweight to round out the main card. Down on the prelims, Brazilian submission specialist Rodolfo Vieira faces Poland’s Robert Bryczek in a 185-pound grappling match worth watching, with Bryczek entering having flipped the betting odds in his favor after opening as an underdog.
Full Weigh-In Results
Main Card (Paramount+, 8 p.m. ET)
Raul Rosas Jr. (136) vs. Raoni Barcelos (135)
Norma Dumont (136) vs. Ailin Perez (136)
Luis Hernandez (204) vs. Sedriques Dumas (197)
Mehemmedeli Osmanli (136) vs. Ilimbek Akylbek Uulu (135.5)
Melissa Amaya (116) vs. Tina Black (116)
Preliminary Card (Paramount+, 5 p.m. ET)
Rodolfo Vieira (186) vs. Robert Bryczek (185.5)
Brady Hiestand (135.5) vs. Rinya Nakamura (136)
Rodolfo Bellato (204.5) vs. Christian Edwards (205)
Elves Brener (155) vs. Josiah Harrell (155.5)
Montel Jackson (136) vs. Ricky Simon (135.5)
John Castaneda (136) vs. Alatengheili (136)
Vanessa Demopoulos (116) vs. Yazmin Jauregui (115)
Watch: Ceremonial Weigh-In
Odds are approximate ranges compiled from multiple sportsbooks ahead of fight week and are subject to change. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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