LAS VEGAS – Payton Talbott maximized his opportunity as Henry Cejudo’s final opponent at UFC 323 and elevated his name with a sensational performance.
Talbott (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) bloodied and battered Cejudo (16-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) for a unanimous decision win in the former two-division champion’s retirement fight Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. Talbott landed 134 significant strikes compared to 60 from his opponent and was credited with two takedowns landed on the 2008 Olympic gold medalist in freestyle wrestling.
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Combine all that with the win, and it was a perfect night for Talbott.
“I thought I did pretty good,” Talbot told MMA Junkie and other reporters post-fight at UFC 323. “To take down a former Olympic champion twice (three times) is pretty major. That’s his bread and butter. It’s surreal. Pretty cool putting down Old Yeller and retiring a GOAT like that.”
Talbott said Cejudo had the opportunity to quit or go out several times throughout the 15-minute affair. He credited him for pushing through and making it to the final bell, which also allowed Talbott to show a lot of his skillset.
After opening 2025 with a massive upset loss to Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311, Talbott rebounded in June with a decision over Felipe Lima. He closes the year by beating Cejudo and showing evolution in the process, and now Talbott is poised for some high-profile fights at 135 pounds.
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“I don’t think I have a choice,” Talbott said. “I think I’ll have a number by my name now either way. This is where I wanted to be. I wanted to be in the top 10 swimming with the sharks. That’s what I wanted out of this. I was super calm all week because I felt at peace that, if I did my job in the cage, I would have a number next to my name. I’m not super fixated on the belt. I just want to put on banger fights and fight the toughest guys.”
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 323: Payton Talbott proud to retire ‘a GOAT’ in Henry Cejudo
