LAS VEGAS — Payton Talbott and Henry Cejudo are the real deal. Talbott improved remarkably from his loss to Raoni Barcelos in January, taking down the Olympic gold medal wrestler twice at UFC 323 on Saturday in Las Vegas. Cejudo, outgunned and outsized, never relented in his final MMA fight, but still came up short on the scorecards to the young Talbott.

Saturday’s main card fighters delivered a thrilling scrap that won’t soon be forgotten. Cejudo, bloodied and battered, fought through a crimson mask, refusing to retire quietly. Round 2 was particularly memorable, with Cejudo surviving an offensive onslaught by throwing back with a pitbull-like viciousness. 

The size disparity between Talbott and Cejudo was apparent. Talbott, 11 years his opponent’s junior, towered over the former two-division champion. He leveraged that reach and power to hurt Cejudo every round. Talbott pointed to the center, Max Holloway style, several times in Round 3. Cejudo accepted the invitation each time. 

Talbott’s wrestling was arguably more impressive than his flashy striking. In January, Barcelos handed Talbott his first loss after eight takedowns. Fast forward to December, and Talbott not only fended off Cejudo’s takedowns, but he also took down the Olympian twice. 

Cejudo retires for a second time after his previous retirement in 2023. The second leg of his career was fruitless, as Cejudo went 0-4. However, his legacy was solidified well before Saturday. Cejudo became a two-division UFC champion by beating a legend in Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, and bantamweight greats T.J. Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz. In his final appearance, Cejudo refused to go down without a fight. 

This victory is far and away the biggest of Talbott’s career. Next week, he’ll likely be ranked in the UFC’s official bantamweight Top 10, usurping Cejudo’s spot. Furthermore, he thoroughly beat a surefire Hall of Famer on a pay-per-view main card. The future looks bright for one of the promotion’s most marketable young prospects.