Fighters’ Profiles and Strength

Ricky Simon – WWLLL

Ricky Simon has a record of 22 wins and 6 losses when he enters the Octagon.  The 33-year-old is 5’6″ tall, weighs 135 pounds, and has a 69-inch reach when fighting in the orthodox stance. Raoni Barcelos has a record of 20 wins and 5 losses.  The 38-year-old is 5’7″ tall, weighs 135 pounds, and has a reach of 67 inches. Barcelos lands more strikes on average, with 4.87 significant strikes per minute compared to Simon’s 2.93. 

Simon hits 44% of his shots, while Barcelos hits 52%. Simon takes 3.72 hits per minute and blocks 61% of them.  Barcelos takes 4.40 per minute but only defends 60% of the time.  It’s a fight between Simon’s sharp defense and Barcelos’ higher output. This is a real test of accuracy versus volume.

Raoni Barcelos – WWWLL

Raoni Barcelos (20-5) looked like he was done a year ago after going 1-5 after starting 16-1.  But the old pro turned the tables.  He changed his style of play, relied on his grappling, and beat Cristian Quinonez, rising star Payton Talbott, and former champion Cody Garbrandt three times in a row.  His surprising win over Talbott was one of the biggest surprises of the year and showed that Barcelos is still a threat in the 135-pound division. Barcelos is still one of the best strikers in the world.  He is dangerous everywhere because his combos are sharp, his timing is perfect, and his wrestling defense is strong.  He hits 52% of his strikes, which shows how accurate his hands are.  At 38, he might not be as fast as he used to be, but his strength is still there.  His win over Garbrandt showed that he can still change the course of a fight in an instant.

What time is the fight?

The fight kicks off live on Saturday 11.08.2025 at 04:00 PM ET

Location: UFC Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

How Can I Watch It?

If you’re interested, you can watch it on ESPN+ Pay-per-view.

SHOP: Kickboxing Gear

Statistical Matchup

Ricky Simon vs Raoni Barcelos Final Prediction

This fight is between two of the best bantamweights who aren’t ranked.  This is a rare fight where experience and hunger meet, and both men have something to prove. Barcelos has made a surprising comeback.  A lot of people thought he was done after a bad 1–5 run from 2021 to 2023.  But now he’s turned things around and is having some of the best wins of his career at 38.  His recent wins have mostly come from his grappling, where he uses timing and control to outwork his opponents.

But that way of doing things could cause problems here.  Simon is a hard puzzle to solve because he has a long history in wrestling, a great takedown defense, and explosive athleticism.  Barcelos will have to trade punches if he can’t get him to the ground.  Simon could easily beat him on the feet with his speed and strength.

This fight is a lot like Simon’s fight with Raphael Assuncao in 2021. Assuncao was a well-rounded but old veteran who got caught in the storm.  He then beat Javid Basharat in a very one-sided match, which showed how dangerous he is early on. What do you think?  Simon hits hard early and ends Barcelos’ inspiring run with another big finish.

+3.5 SPREAD RAONI BARCELOS

FIGHT TO GO THE DISTANCE – YES

RICKY SIMON TO WIN

READ MORE: Is Islam Makhachev the Most Dangerous Submission Artist in UFC Currently?

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The post Ricky Simon vs Raoni Barcelos Bout Prediction first appeared on Sidekick Boxing.