MEXICO CITY – Raoni Barcelos got a much-needed win Saturday when he submitted Cristian Quinonez at UFC Fight Night 237.
After losing his past two fights, Barcelos (18-5 MMA, 7-4 UFC) was tasked with going into enemy territory at Mexico City Arena. He thrived in that environment, going back-and-forth with Quinonez (18-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC) before locking in a rear-naked choke for the tap at the 2:04 mark of Round 3.
Check out the replay of the finish below (via X):
Raoni Barcelos with a big submission in Round 3 🔒 #UFCMexico pic.twitter.com/T0ZNeaqxfr
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 25, 2024
Barcelos revealed post-fight that he sustained a shoulder injury early in the fight. It was difficult for him, but he managed to thrive and get his hand raised for the first time since October 2022.
“I needed to win,” Barcelos said through an interpreter in his post-fight interview with Paul Felder. “It was a battle of overcoming. … During the rounds my coaches told me, ‘Finish the rounds with wrestling and finish the fight.’”
Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 237 results include:
- Raoni Barcelos def. Christian Quinonez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 2:04
- Jesus Aguilar def. Mateus Mendonca via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Edgar Chairez def. Daniel Lacerda via submission ( triangle choke) – Round 1, 2:17
- Fares Ziam def. Claudio Puelles via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
- Luis Rodriguez def. Denys Bondar via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:59
- Felipe dos Santos def. Victor Altamirano via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
- Muhammad Naimov def. Erik Silva via TKO (injury) – Round 1, 0:44
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 237.