The torch has been officially passed. Payton Talbott (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) defeated two-division champion Henry Cejudo (16-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) in Cejudo’s retirement bout at UFC 323 Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena, closing the chapter on one among MMA’s most decorated careers while cementing Talbott’s arrival as a legitimate bantamweight contender.
🚨 Payton Talbott defeats Henry Cejudo via unanimous decision. (30-27 x3)
🫡 Incredible performances from each men. Cejudo went out on his shield and kept coming forward. pic.twitter.com/PWjLVVU8ll
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) December 7, 2025
Cejudo’s “Last Dance” ended not with the fairytale finish he envisioned, but with a stark reminder that point stays undefeated. The 38-year-old Olympic gold medalist struggled to shut distance against the younger, longer Talbott, who utilized his five-inch height and six-and-a-half-inch reach benefits to maintain the fight at his preferred range. Talbott’s diverse striking attack and improved takedown defense neutralized Cejudo’s wrestling pedigree, forcing the previous champion right into a kickboxing match he couldn’t win.
The judges’ scorecards reflected Talbott’s dominance across all three rounds. The 27-year-old prospect controlled the cage, landed the cleaner shots, and stuffed all six of Cejudo’s takedown attempts. While Cejudo showed flashes of his championship grit, his striking accuracy has noticeably diminished since his first retirement, landing just 47% of his significant strikes in comparison with Talbott’s 56%.
For Cejudo, the loss marked his fourth consecutive defeat since getting back from his three-year hiatus in 2023. The “Triple C” leaves the game with an undeniable legacy—Olympic gold medalist, simultaneous two-division UFC champion, and conqueror of three Hall of Famers in Demetrious Johnson, T.J. Dillashaw, and Dominick Cruz. Yet his second act did not match his first, with decision losses to Aljamain Sterling, Merab Dvalishvili, Song Yadong, and now Talbott clouding his final run.
“That is it for me,” Cejudo confirmed before the bout, expressing gratitude slightly than disappointment. “I’m content and joyful with my profession. What I have been in a position to accomplish and the way I did it’s special to me”.
Henry Cejudo has officially retired after his loss to Payton Talbott at UFC 323 🫡 pic.twitter.com/CfcHJCp6pt
— Pleased Punch (@HappyPunch) December 7, 2025
Talbott’s victory validates the hype surrounding him because the division’s next star. After rebounding from his first profession loss to Raoni Barcelos with wins over Felipe Lima and now Cejudo, the Desert MMA product positions himself for a top-ten matchup in 2026. The performance answered questions on his ability to handle elite competition, proving his knee strikes and high-output style can frustrate even essentially the most achieved wrestlers in UFC history.
The generational changing of the guard was complete when referee Herb Dean raised Talbott’s hand. Cejudo exited to a standing ovation, his gold medals and championship belts secure in history, while Talbott celebrated the most important win of his profession—the type of victory that transforms prospects into contenders.