MMA Junkie has live coverage of UFC 323 with round-by-round analysis of every fight.
Henry Cejudo left it all in the cage during his UFC 323 retirement bout.
He was outmatched, outstruck, and outsized – but he was not out-dogged. Cejudo (16-6 MMA, 10-5 UFC) left his wrestling shoes at home, as he tried to go strike-for-strike with the rising bantamweight star Payton Talbott (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC). Ultimately, Talbott defeated Cejudo by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). The bantamweight bout took place on the main card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Advertisement
From the opening bell, the size and speed difference was obvious. As Cejudo pointed out post-fight, Father Time’s toll was evident. Talbott remained crafty and put forth a dazzling performance in what could one day be viewed as a passing-of-the-torch bout. Talbott even took down the Olympic gold medalist at one point – and celebrated by sticking his tongue out.
As the fight progressed, Cejudo threw caution further and further out the window. He went toe-to-toe with Talbott in a crazy and exciting Round 2. In Round 3, bloodied and swollen, Cejudo even obliged Talbott in a Max Holloway-style throw down sequence.
Upon the final bell, Cejudo staggered over to UFC executives Dana White and Hunter Campbell, thanked them, and asked for $50,000. White said he would grant his wish. During his in-cage interview, the promotion played a packaged retirement montage video before he thanked the UFC again.
The retirement is the second for Cejudo, 38, who goes down in the UFC history books as one of the only fighters to hold gold in two weight classes (bantamweight and flyweight). He never lost either belt. He vacated the flyweight title when he moved to bantamweight. The bantamweight title he gave up when he stepped away from the sport in 2020. His time away from competition would last three years. He returned in 2023 but went 0-4 prior to his retirement.
Advertisement
Talbott, 27, wins his second fight in a row since a loss to Raoni Barcelos in January 2025. He’ll likely have a UFC-official ranking next to his name on Tuesday.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 323 results:
-
Payton Talbott def. Henry Cejudo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 323 results: Henry Cejudo goes out valiantly in loss to Payton Talbott
