Montel Jackson vs Raoni Barcelos — Fight recap

Raoni Barcelos defeated Montel Jackson via split decision after three rounds on April 25, 2026, in a closely contested bantamweight bout. Jackson landed the more significant strikes overall with 35 of 66 (53%), including 26 head strikes, and secured one knockdown to keep the fight competitive throughout.

However, Barcelos controlled the fight's narrative through grappling, landing 6 takedowns on 18 attempts while accumulating 7:45 of control time compared to Jackson's 0:23. Despite being out-struck, Barcelos' wrestling and positional dominance proved decisive with two judges favoring the Brazilian's octagon control and ground work.

The split decision underscores how close the matchup was, with Jackson's striking efficiency nearly overcoming Barcelos' grappling advantage. Barcelos' victory positions him for a step up in competition while Jackson faces a potential recalibration of his gameplan against takedown-heavy opponents.