UFC News This Week: Rosas Jr. Stops Barcelos

UFC News This Week: Rosas Jr. Wins a Scary Main Event, Perez Climbs and McGregor Witnesses Face Perjury Charges

Oct 1, 2026 · By Dan Kessler, Editor

UFC bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr. posing in a red basketball vest

Image: Yaroslav Sharoyko via Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

Rosas Jr. stops Barcelos in round five, and Barcelos leaves on a stretcher

Raul Rosas Jr. won the first main event of his UFC career on Saturday 26 September, stopping Raoni Barcelos at 1:38 of the fifth round at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas. It was the biggest win of his career and his sixth in a row, taking him to 13-1, but the finish is what everyone will remember.

Rosas slammed Barcelos to the mat from a clinch against the cage, Barcelos's head struck the canvas or the fence on the way down, and referee Herb Dean waved it off when it was clear he had lost consciousness. Barcelos stayed down and was carried out on a stretcher.

The good news came later that night. The UFC said Barcelos had a CT scan at a Level 1 trauma centre and was "stable, alert and responsive, with full movement", and that he would stay under medical supervision. His coach Davi Ramos posted that everything was fine. Rosas used his post-fight interview to ask the crowd to pray for his opponent, calling him a warrior.

The context makes the result sharper. Rosas, who joined the UFC at 17 in 2022 as its youngest ever signing, was behind on all three scorecards going into the final round against a 39-year-old veteran who had won five straight. The 17-year age gap is the widest in UFC main event history, and the bout took Fight of the Night. In the official rankings Rosas now sits at No. 11 at bantamweight, with Barcelos at No. 14.

What comes next for Rosas is a ranked opponent in the top ten. For Barcelos, the only priority is a full medical clearance, and no return should be discussed until he has one. If the stoppage terms are new to you, our guide to how MMA fights end explains how referees call a KO from a slam.

Ailin Perez wins her eliminator against Norma Dumont

Ailin Perez beat Norma Dumont by unanimous decision in the co-main event, with all three judges scoring it 29-28. Perez had billed the fight as a decider for the next shot at the women's bantamweight title, and she went into it carrying a stress fracture in her ankle and damaged cartilage in her knee.

The win extends her run to seven straight. In the UFC rankings updated on 29 September, Perez sits at No. 4 and Dumont at No. 5, behind Julianna Peña, Joselyne Edwards and Raquel Pennington.

The champion is busy. Kayla Harrison makes her first defence against Amanda Nunes in the co-main event of UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden on 14 November, a fight first booked for January before Harrison withdrew injured. Perez has offered herself as the replacement for that fight if either woman pulls out, and beating a top-five opponent gives her a strong claim to face the winner.

The rest of the card produced Performance of the Night bonuses for Luis Hernandez, who submitted Sedriques Dumas with a guillotine in 50 seconds, and Yazmin Jauregui.

New UFC signings: Tina Black wins TUF 34 and four earn Contender Series deals

The UFC added five new fighters to its roster this week. On Saturday's card Valesca Machado, who fights as Tina Black, won the women's strawweight final of The Ultimate Fighter 34 (Team Cormier vs. Team Bisping) by stopping Melissa Amaya in the second round, which comes with a UFC contract.

On Tuesday 29 September, week eight of the tenth season of Dana White's Contender Series ended with every winner signed: Aieza Bertolso, Ian Escuza, Adama Diop and George Staines. Bertolso, a former LFA strawweight champion from Brazil, headlined and submitted Camila Reynoso with a D'Arce choke at 3:02 of the first round to go 8-0.

Diop, a heavyweight who came to MMA from traditional Senegalese wrestling, becomes the first Senegalese fighter signed by the UFC. White was blunt about the performance, calling it one of the worst fights he had seen on the show, before giving him the contract anyway with a warning not to make him regret it.

None of the new signings has a debut date yet. For how the Tuesday night show feeds the main roster, see our UFC event calendar explainer.

Two McGregor appeal witnesses charged with perjury in Dublin

Samantha O'Reilly, 38, and Steven Cummins, 39, were charged with perjury at Dublin District Court on Tuesday 29 September over sworn statements they made in support of Conor McGregor's failed civil appeal. McGregor himself has not been charged.

The pair, from Ballyfermot in Dublin, had given affidavits claiming that O'Reilly saw Nikita Hand being attacked by her then partner within hours of her encounter with McGregor in December 2018. Hand called the claims lies. McGregor's legal team dropped the evidence just before the appeal was heard in 2025, and the appeal against the jury's finding that he assaulted Hand, which came with damages of almost €250,000, was dismissed.

Both are charged under the Criminal Justice (Perjury and Related Offences) Act 2021 over affidavits dated 14 January 2025, and O'Reilly faces a second count over one dated 6 May 2025. Each count carries a maximum of ten years in prison. They were released on bail, must sign on weekly at a Garda station and must not contact witnesses.

The case returns to court on 9 November, when the prosecution will serve its evidence before it moves to trial. For fight fans the bigger picture is unchanged: McGregor's legal problems keep overshadowing any talk of a return to the Octagon.

Topuria posts "Back to the office" and the lightweight queue takes note

Ilia Topuria shared training photos on 29 September with the caption "Back to the office", his clearest sign yet that the comeback is under way. He has not fought since Justin Gaethje took his lightweight title with a fourth-round TKO at UFC Freedom 250 in June, a fight that left him with broken orbital bones.

The timeline has not moved. Topuria's physical trainer Jesus Gallo said earlier this month that he is easing back into training in Miami and will be ready to fight from February 2027, and his 180-day medical suspension does not end until December. That rules out the quick return Dana White had floated.

The post still stirred the division. Alex Pereira's coach Plinio Cruz replied with a one-word comment, and Paddy Pimblett said this week he would love to coach opposite Topuria on The Ultimate Fighter and then fight him. White has called a Pimblett vs. Topuria fight big enough to headline a numbered event without a belt on the line, but nothing is booked.

Ilia Topuria in a fighting stance at the UFC Freedom 250 ceremonial weigh-in

Image: U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Brittany Primavera (public domain) via Wikimedia Commons

Darren Till outpoints Yoel Romero at BKFC 94

Former UFC welterweight title challenger Darren Till beat Yoel Romero by unanimous decision, 49-46 on all three cards, in the BKFC 94 main event at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday 26 September. It moves the Liverpudlian to 2-0 in bare knuckle; Romero drops to 1-1.

Till fought a patient, defensive fight and said afterwards that lunging in to please the crowd would have got him knocked out. On the same card Jack Cullen took the BKFC middleweight title from David Mundell on a split decision.

It matters to MMA fans because Till keeps the door open to the UFC. Before the fight he said a return was possible "if Dana will have me", though he has not fought in MMA since his submission loss to Dricus du Plessis in December 2022, and a long-discussed fight with Mike Perry looks the more likely next step.

What to watch next week: UFC 332 crowns a new women's flyweight champion

UFC 332 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday 3 October settles the women's flyweight title Valentina Shevchenko vacated last month with shoulder and back injuries expected to keep her out for up to a year. In the UK the main card starts at 1am BST on Sunday 4 October.

No. 1 contender Natalia Silva puts a 14-fight winning streak, eight of those wins in the UFC and the latest over Rose Namajunas in January, against No. 8 Wang Cong, who is 5-1 in the promotion and has won four straight. Our title fights explainer covers how a vacant belt is filled.

The co-main event is Deiveson Figueiredo against Payton Talbott at bantamweight. Figueiredo said this week that he wants to drop back to flyweight whatever happens on Saturday and test champion Joshua Van's boxing. Further down the main card, former KSW two-division champion Roberto Soldic makes his UFC debut against Khaos Williams.

Later in October, UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on 24 October is headlined by Alexander Volkanovski against Movsar Evloev.

Sources

FAQs

Who won Rosas Jr. vs. Barcelos?

Raul Rosas Jr. won, stopping Raoni Barcelos at 1:38 of the fifth round at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas on 26 September 2026. Rosas slammed Barcelos from a clinch, Barcelos lost consciousness and referee Herb Dean stopped it. Rosas was behind on all three scorecards going into round five, and the win was his sixth in a row, taking him to 13-1.

Is Raoni Barcelos OK after the Rosas Jr. fight?

Yes, according to the UFC. Barcelos was carried out on a stretcher, but after a CT scan at a Level 1 trauma centre the UFC said he was stable, alert and responsive with full movement, and that he would remain under medical supervision. His coach Davi Ramos also posted that everything was fine. No return date has been discussed.

Who won Ailin Perez vs. Norma Dumont?

Ailin Perez won by unanimous decision, 29-28 on all three scorecards, in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 289 on 26 September 2026. Perez had called it a title eliminator. The UFC rankings updated on 29 September list her at No. 4 at women's bantamweight, while champion Kayla Harrison defends against Amanda Nunes at UFC 334 on 14 November.

Who got UFC contracts on the Contender Series this week?

All four winners from week eight of Dana White's Contender Series on 29 September 2026 were signed: Aieza Bertolso, Ian Escuza, Adama Diop and George Staines. Bertolso, an unbeaten Brazilian strawweight, submitted Camila Reynoso in the first round, and Diop becomes the first Senegalese fighter signed by the UFC.

Has Conor McGregor been charged with perjury?

No. On 29 September 2026 two other people, Samantha O'Reilly and Steven Cummins, were charged with perjury at Dublin District Court over affidavits they gave in support of McGregor's failed civil appeal in the Nikita Hand case. McGregor has not been charged. The case is back in court on 9 November 2026.

When is UFC 332 and who is fighting?

UFC 332 is on Saturday 3 October 2026 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, with the main card at 1am BST on Sunday 4 October in the UK. Natalia Silva fights Wang Cong for the women's flyweight title Valentina Shevchenko vacated through injury, and Deiveson Figueiredo meets Payton Talbott in the co-main event.