Despite a challenging first round, Raoni Barcelos mounted a comeback to defeat Montel Jackson by split decision at UFC Vegas 116 on Saturday.
Jackson came close to a finish early in the fight, landing a powerful high kick that sent Barcelos to the canvas. He followed up with an aggressive striking assault on the ground. However, Barcelos’s superior wrestling skills enabled him to regain control of the bout, although his offensive output was limited.
This pattern persisted into the second round, where Barcelos achieved full mount over Jackson with less than a minute remaining. As time dwindled, Barcelos transitioned to Jackson’s back and applied a tight rear-naked choke. Despite being caught in the submission, Jackson managed to survive until the end of the round.
Barcelos continued to dictate the pace in the third round, accumulating significant control time in the clinch and effectively neutralizing Jackson’s offense. This dominance on the scorecards proved sufficient for Barcelos to secure a hard-earned decision win.
Official Result: Raoni Barcelos defeated Montel Jackson via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28).
