‘Living a great moment’ after Payton Talbott upset, Raoni Barcelos plans to tap out Cody Garbrandt and then avenge a robbery

UFC 311: Talbott v Barcelos — Raoni Barcelos | Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Raoni Barcelos scored one of the biggest upsets of the year when he dominated top prospect Payton Talbott across three rounds for a decision victory at UFC 311 in January, and now sees a whole different scenario going into UFC Atlanta on June 14.

Barcelos, 37, faces former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt in a main card bout and he’s looking to insert his name back in the top 15 of the bantamweight division. Barcelos feels “super happy” to be facing the man who once ruled the division, a match-up he has dreamed of for many years, and it’s all coming after proving doubters wrong as a +710 underdog in Los Angeles.

“For me, for my career, it was great that I beat Payton Talbott that way,” Barcelos told MMA Fighting. “It’s all happening naturally after that. I’ve always said that all athletes have highs and lows in the organization. Some get to become champions first, others take a little longer, but it’s not easy to get there, to get ranked, to become champion. The criticism I got, doubting my true story, it all fueled me to get stronger for that fight. It all happened because of these mean comments.”

“But I’m entering this fight in a different moment now, a whole other atmosphere,” he continued. “It’s funny how it all changes. Now I’m the favorite against a former champion. It’s funny. But I don’t care too much about all this. What happens out here has no relation to what we live in there [in the cage]. Of course, I’m living a great moment in my life, in my career, and I’m going there to win this fight because I’m confident. I’m confident in my game, and I’m sure I’ll bring this victory to Brazil.”

Barcelos is the favorite now, entering UFC Atlanta off of the one-sided win over Talbott and a third-round rear-naked choke finish against Cristian Quiñonez. Garbrandt, on the other hand, had his two-fight winning streak snapped by Deiveson Figueiredo in April 2024, also via rear-naked choke. Barcelos won’t act all cocky and confident, though.

“It has happened to me in a fight before, when I was so confident and the UFC hired a new guy to fight me and I ended up losing,” Barcelos said. “That happened with Victor Henry, and also with Kyler Phillips, when I was so confident and lost. Kyler Phillips is ranked now. It was a great fight but he ended up winning. I went through that, right? I respect Cody a lot, but I’m in my moment now. I’m enjoying my moment.”

With a solid background in jiu-jitsu and wrestling but more knockouts than submissions in MMA, Barcelos said he won’t be silly to stand and trade with “No Love” on Saturday.

“I can’t hide my game anymore, especially now that everybody studies a lot,” Barcelos said. “MMA is very strategic today and I’m going there to take him down and submit. That’s the easier game to do. I won’t trade with Cody, who has great boxing and heavy hands. It might happen, of course. My hand may land and I try to knock him down, knock him out. He knows that, too. He knows I’ll try to impose my game and try to take him down and make it a more dynamic fight, but I’m sure he won’t handle my rhythm and I’ll be able to take him down and catch him.”

Barcelos won’t look past Garbrandt, but already has a name in mind for a post-fight callout: Rob Font.

Barcelos said he was offered a late-notice bout with Font just weeks after beating Talbott, replacing an injured Dominick Cruz in February, but he was still dealing with injuries of his own. Fellow Brazilian Jean Matsumoto jumped on the opportunity and lost a controversial decision in Seattle. Barcelos said Matsumoto was “robbed” by the judges, and that’s one of the reasons why he wants that match.

“I’m not hiding from anyone that I want Rob Font after Cody,” Barcelos said. “Rob Font is ranked 8 or 9 in the UFC and it would be a good idea — getting past Cody, of course — to try and get myself ranked. I think that’s the next step. Of course, I have to win on the 14th first to then take one more step and ask for a fight with Rob Font.”

‘Living a great moment’ after Payton Talbott upset, Raoni Barcelos plans to tap out Cody Garbrandt and then avenge a robbery

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