Payton Talbott Record: 11-1-0

Rise as a top prospect

Talbott made his UFC debut a memorable one, submitting Nick Aguirre with a third-round rear-naked choke in November 2023. He kept the momentum rolling with a second-round TKO of the highly regarded Cameron Saaiman in March 2024, then delivered his signature highlight that June at UFC 303, blasting Yanis Ghemmouri with a first-round knockout that vaulted him up the rankings as a future-star candidate. His perfect run finally hit a wall in January 2025, when the savvy veteran Raoni Barcelos outpointed him over three rounds at UFC 311 for his first professional loss. Talbott responded like a contender, rebounding with a unanimous-decision win over Felipe Lima at UFC 317, then scoring the biggest win of his career in December 2025 by decisioning former two-division champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 323.

Fighting style

Talbott is a fluid, creative striker with genuine finishing power and a deeper grappling game than his highlight knockouts suggest. Seven of his eleven wins have come by KO or TKO and another by submission, giving him a finish rate north of 70 percent, and he blends slick boxing with knees, elbows and unconventional entries. The Aguirre submission and the Cejudo decision show the range of his toolbox – he can wrestle, scramble and box his way to victory when the knockout is not there. His lone loss, the points defeat to the experienced Barcelos, exposed the value of a high-IQ veteran able to disrupt his rhythm, but his rebound wins over Lima and Cejudo demonstrate a prospect who learns quickly and answers adversity.

Career highlights

• Win over a former champion — outpointed two-division titleholder Henry Cejudo at UFC 323, the marquee victory of his young career.
• UFC 303 statement KO — knocked out Yanis Ghemmouri in the first round to cement his status as a top bantamweight prospect.
• 11-1 with a 73 percent finish rate — seven knockouts and a submission underline his finishing ability across a fast-rising career.