Henry Cejudo thinks that the rising bantamweight prospect Payton Talbott possesses all the attributes necessary to become a formidable contender in the division.
Talbott is poised to make his pay-per-view debut against Yanis Ghemmouri on the preliminary portion of UFC 303, scheduled to take place this Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 25-year-old Nevada native hadn’t trained in MMA until his late teens but now shows promising potential to emerge as a standout star in the UFC in the years ahead.
Talbott made his professional debut in November 2021 and competed primarily under Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat banner until last August. His standout performance against Reyes Cortez on Dana White’s Contender Series led to a commanding unanimous decision victory, which paved the way for him to secure a coveted UFC contract.
In his promotional debut three months later, Talbott showcased his skills with an impressive third-round submission victory over Nick Aguirre at UFC Vegas 82 in November 2023, making a significant statement in his arrival.
Fresh off a spectacular TKO victory over Cameron Saaiman at UFC Vegas 89 this past March, Talbott’s performance has captured the interest of former two-division UFC champion Cejudo, who believes he has a promising future ahead in the MMA organization…
Cejudo Envisions Talbott’s Ascent Up The Bantamweight Ladder
During a recent episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast alongside former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, “Triple C” expressed anticipation for Talbott’s upcoming bout against Ghemmouri at UFC 303, highlighting it as a matchup he eagerly anticipates.
“I’m gonna have to go with Payton Talbott, man,” Cejudo said. “He’s 5’10,’ he’s undefeated, he’s a wreck, man, he’s mentally a strong kid, and he’s been finishing people in the UFC. That dude’s got crazy talent… he’s a prospect. He’s definitely like a high-profile prospect that’s kind of going under the radar, man.”
Cejudo further highlighted that Talbott exhibits the potential to ascend as a serious threat in the UFC bantamweight division, citing his versatile skills inside the Octagon.
“He has really good striking; you know he has takedowns and submissions. We’re talking about a guy who’s well-rounded, yet he is still growing, and I think there’s a reason why the UFC is putting him on this card.
“That being said, this guy is a threat for any for any of us in the top 10. I mean, that dude gonna come up, and the dude’s going to make a statement.”
While Talbott is undoubtedly making waves with his performances, it will be intriguing to see how he measures up against Ghemmouri, who brings more experience to the matchup.
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