UFC veteran Barcelos loses consciousness during fight; cause unknown

UFC veteran Haoni Barcelos, 39, of Brazil suddenly lost consciousness during a fight Sunday and was carried out of the arena on a stretcher. He regained consciousness after being rushed to a hospital and is currently in stable condition.

Barcelos faced Raul Rosas Jr., 21, of Mexico in the bantamweight main event of UFC Vegas 121 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday (Korean Standard Time).

The alarming moment came in the fifth and final round. Barcelos, who had been grappling with Rosas Jr. near the cage, suddenly went limp and lost consciousness after being taken down. Rosas Jr. recognized that something was seriously wrong and stopped his attack, and referee Herb Dean immediately halted the bout. The official result was a TKO victory for Rosas Jr. at 1 minute and 38 seconds of round five.

Medical staff rushed into the octagon to assess Barcelos. Unable to get up for some time, he was carried out on a stretcher and transported by emergency to a Level 1 trauma center in Las Vegas.

The UFC later issued an official statement saying hospital staff had performed a CT scan and comprehensive tests and were monitoring his condition. "Barcelos is in stable condition — he is alert and responsive with no issues with motor function," the statement said. He is expected to remain under medical observation for now.

Barcelos' coach Davi Ramos also provided an update on social media. "Barcelos is OK. All his senses are normal and he is moving his legs, arms and hands. He is conscious and talking," Ramos said. "He is undergoing the necessary tests and needs rest, but he will be able to speak to you all directly soon."

What made the situation all the more difficult was that Barcelos had been on the verge of victory right up until the end. All three judges had him ahead through four rounds, each scoring it 39-37 in his favor, with one judge awarding him round four 10-8. Had he lasted just three more minutes in the fifth, he would very likely have won by decision.

Instead, Barcelos' bid for a sixth straight UFC win was derailed in the most unexpected of circumstances. Rosas Jr. officially extended his own winning streak to six with the TKO. Their contest was also named Fight of the Night.

The exact cause of Barcelos' sudden loss of consciousness has not been confirmed. Speculation included severe physical exhaustion and dehydration from the grueling fight, electrolyte imbalance, and the possibility of a fainting episode triggered by pressure from the severe swelling around his eyes late in the bout.

Sports medicine physician Brian Sutterer analyzed the fight footage on his YouTube channel and listed a brain bleed and cardiovascular abnormalities among causes that doctors would need to rule out, while drawing a clear line between analysis and diagnosis. "This is an analysis of possible causes, not a diagnosis," he said.