Athletes
RAONI BARCELOS EYEING ANOTHER BIG WIN
Brazilian Veteran Aiming To Build Off Upset Win In January By Taking Out Former Champ This Weekend
Back in January, Raoni Barcelos scored one of the biggest upsets of the year, according to the oddsmakers, when he handed unbeaten Dana White’s Contender Series alum Payton Talbott the first loss of his professional career.
Opening as a +440 underdog, the odds continued to climb leading up to the event at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California until the Brazilian veteran closed somewhere north of +700, a number that basically says, “It’s going to be pretty unexpected if this guy goes out and gets the victory on Saturday night.”
On one hand, the intense action on Talbott — and the corresponding skyrocketing of Barcelos’ betting line — made sense: the 26-year-old Reno native sat at 9-0, coming off consecutive stoppage wins over Cameron Saaiman and Yanis Ghemmouri, and rightfully appeared on every watch list of the top prospects in the UFC to start the year. But, on the other hand, here was a promising, but relatively untested, competitor stepping into the Octagon with a seasonedveteran, one that was coming off a third-round submission win over Cristian Quiñonez, who had gone 7-4 in his previous 11 UFC appearances, and carried a considerable edge in both experience and all-around skill.
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“The fight against Talbott was a different atmosphere, and I realized everyone was looking at me in a different way,” Barcelos said on Wednesday afternoon from his hotel room in Atlanta, where he’ll face off with former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt this weekend. “I was super-excited for that fight and really happy to bring that victory to Brazil.”
Barcelos didn’t just win the fight — he dominated, highlighting some of the holes in Talbott’s game while never allowing the emerging competitor to find his footing and get into a rhythm. He swept the scorecards, earning a 10-8 round from one official after battering Talbott in the opening stanza. At his post-fight media availability, several of the questions centered around what it was like to score such a monumental upset, with the former RFA featherweight champion politely expressing his happiness with getting the victory and refraining from turning the moment into a chance to question why he was such a colossal underdog in the first place.
It was a prime opportunity for a “Y’all Musta Forgot” moment, but instead, Barcelos relished the positive result, appreciated the opportunity to showcase his skill to a wider audience — many of whom clearly hadn’t been familiar with his work previous to that early January evening at the home of the Los Angeles Clippers — and kept it moving, knowing the win would serve him quite well going forward.
And serve him well it has.
UFC ATLANTA: Fight By Fight Preview
This weekend, Barcelos gets the opportunity to share the Octagon with the returning Garbrandt, who hasn’t competed since being submitted by Deiveson Figueiredo. Not only is it a fight that the 38-year-old Brazilian has been open to since before “No Love” ascended to the bantamweight throne, but it’s also his second appearance already this year, which is a delightful change to how things worked out for him last year.
“I’m so happy to be back, fighting more times,” said Barcelos, who submitted Quinonez in February 2024, and then didn’t compete again until his bout with Talbott in January. “I’m always asking the UFC to bring me more times to fight, but it’s really hard.
“Hopefully this year I can do more fights,” he added with eagerness in his eyes. “We’re in the middle of the year, so we still have half the year. Hopefully I can do more fights so you guys can see me more times.”
For now, he’s locked in on Garbrandt, who is poised to turn 34 next month and will be looking to start building some momentum again in the division he once ruled.
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It’s been more than seven years since the former champion unseated Dominick Cruz with his virtuoso performance at UFC 207 and he’s struggled to find consistent success since, but Garbrandt remains one of the most recognizable names on the roster and carries a championship pedigree that keeps him on everyone’s radar, including Barcelos.
“I have always followed his career and, for me, (beating Garbrandt) means a lot,” he said when asked about finally getting the chance to share the cage with the Las Vegas-based veteran. “Beating a champion is going to be on my record, and that means a lot.
“I feel very good for this fight. I never felt like this; I feel like I’m in the best shape,” continued Barcelos, who showcased his complete arsenal of skills against Talbott, looking sharp and crisp throughout the 15-minute affair. “I’m coming from two victories, he’s coming from a loss, so it’s big pressure for him.
“I feel my game is really killer right now. Two years ago, I didn’t feel that same thing, but I feel like my game is back, and I look forward to showing everyone that I’m back and who I am.”
Having already knocked off the most hyped prospect in the division to begin the year, taking out a former champion before reaching the midway point of the 2025 calendar would likely put Barcelos in a prime position to continue fighting forward in the talent-rich 135-pound weight class.
And the Rio de Janeiro native already has a few ideas in mind for what he’d like to do next.
“First of all, I want to beat my opponent on Saturday,” he began, making it clear that there is no looking past Garbrandt and his wishes can only be achieved by garnering another victory this weekend at State Farm Arena. “After that, I think it’s gonna be a good chance to fight for the rankings, and Rob Font is a guy that’s on my (radar).
“I think it would be an exciting fight, and I wish I could fight him, or anyone in the rankings.”
But first things first.
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“I bring all the motivation with me — all the guys, all the atmosphere — I’m gonna bring all of that inside of the cage,” Barcelos said when asked how he follows up his win over Talbott this weekend. “It’s going to be an exciting fight and I’m going to go forward to finish the fight.
“A knockout or a submission,” he added. “I’m going to finish the fight.”
UFC Fight Night: Usman vs Buckley took place live from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on June 14, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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