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UFC on ESPN 69: Raoni Barcelos post-fight interview
UFC on ESPN 69 winner Raoni Barcelos talks to MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight after his unanimous decision victory over Cody Garbrandt.
ATLANTA – Raoni Barcelos is not-so-quietly putting together a very impressive late career run.
At UFC on ESPN 69 at State Farm Arena, Barcelos (20-5 MMA, 9-4 UFC) picked up his first win over a former champion in a unanimous decision nod over Cody Garbrandt. The 38-year-old admits he was surprised by the wrestling ability of Garbrandt (14-7 MMA, 9-7 UFC), but was happy because it made for a more exciting fight for the fans to enjoy.
“I think it was definitely the biggest win in my career,” told MMA Junkie and other reporters in Portuguese at a post-fight news conference. “It was a great fight. Cody was in great form, and we put on a great fight.”
All of a sudden, Barcelos finds himself on a three-fight winning streak. Last February, he submitted Christian Quinonez and followed that up with a massive upset decision over Payton Talbott in January. It’s a run that has quickly erased the memory of a 1-4 stretch from 2021-23.
“I’m just at a really good moment with myself mentally, physically,” Barcelos said. “I’m doing very well. It’s a magical moment in my life. This was a really quick camp. I found out about this fight on my birthday on May 1st, but everything worked out perfectly, and we did everything correctly.”
Next, Barcelos knows exactly who he wants, with his eyes set on entering the top 15 and beyond by 2026.
“I want Rob Font by the end of the year,” Barcelos said. “I want to be in the rankings by the end of the year to basically get in the new year on a high note.”
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