Raoni Barcelos VS Montel Jackson

Raoni Barcelos survived a massive first-round scare to secure a hard-fought split decision win over Montel Jackson. Jackson nearly ended the fight in the opening minutes, dropping Barcelos with a brutal high kick and following up with a ferocious flurry of ground strikes. Barcelos showcased immense toughness to recover, entirely shifting the momentum in the second round by utilizing his superior grappling. He repeatedly took Jackson to the mat, eventually securing full mount and nearly finishing a deep rear-naked choke before the bell. Barcelos continued to dictate the pace and location of the fight in the third round with stifling clinch control, doing enough to sway the scorecards his way.

An intriguing bantamweight clash of styles as 38-year-old veteran Raoni Barcelos uses his BJJ background and heavy hands against the massive reach and precise striking of Montel 'Quik' Jackson. Jackson needs to protect his ranking while Barcelos aims for another late-career resurgence.