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 of MMA's most decorated careers while cementing Talbott's arrival as a legitimate bantamweight contender.​

Cejudo's “Last Dance” ended not with the fairytale finish he envisioned, but with a stark reminder that time remains undefeated. The 38-year-old Olympic gold medalist struggled to close distance against the younger, longer Talbott, who utilized his five-inch height and six-and-a-half-inch reach advantages to keep the fight at his preferred range. Talbott's diverse striking attack and improved takedown defense neutralized Cejudo's wrestling pedigree, forcing the former champion 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 compared to Talbott's 56%.​

For Cejudo, the loss marked his fourth consecutive defeat since returning from his three-year hiatus in 2023. The “Triple C” leaves the sport 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 failed to match his first, with decision losses to Aljamain Sterling, Merab Dvalishvili, Song Yadong, and now Talbott clouding his final run.​

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“This is it for me,” Cejudo confirmed before the bout, expressing gratitude rather than disappointment. “I'm content and happy with my career. What I've been able to accomplish and how I did it is special to me”.​

Talbott's victory validates the hype surrounding him as the division's next star. After rebounding from his first career 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 about his ability to handle elite competition, proving his knee strikes and high-output style can frustrate even the most accomplished 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 biggest win of his career—the kind of victory that transforms prospects into contenders.