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LAS VEGAS — Payton Talbott and Henry Cejudo are the actual 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, by no means relented in his last MMA struggle, however nonetheless got here up quick on the scorecards to the younger Talbott.
Saturday’s predominant card fighters delivered an exciting scrap that will not quickly be forgotten. Cejudo, bloodied and battered, fought via a crimson masks, refusing to retire quietly. Spherical 2 was significantly memorable, with Cejudo surviving an offensive onslaught by throwing again with a pitbull-like viciousness.
The scale disparity between Talbott and Cejudo was obvious. Talbott, 11 years his opponent’s junior, towered over the previous two-division champion. He leveraged that attain and energy to harm Cejudo each spherical. Talbott pointed to the middle, Max Holloway type, a number of occasions in Spherical 3. Cejudo accepted the invitation every time.
Talbott’s wrestling was arguably extra spectacular than his flashy putting. In January, Barcelos handed Talbott his first loss after eight takedowns. Quick ahead to December, and Talbott not solely fended off Cejudo’s takedowns, however he additionally took down the Olympian twice.
Cejudo retires for a second time after his earlier retirement in 2023. The second leg of his profession was fruitless, as Cejudo went 0-4. Nevertheless, his legacy was solidified nicely earlier than Saturday. Cejudo turned 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 last look, Cejudo refused to go down with out a struggle.
This victory is way and away the largest of Talbott’s profession. Subsequent week, he’ll doubtless be ranked within the UFC’s official bantamweight High 10, usurping Cejudo’s spot. Moreover, he totally beat a surefire Corridor of Famer on a pay-per-view predominant card. The longer term appears brilliant for one of many promotion’s most marketable younger prospects.
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