Henry Cejudo left Peyton Talbot visibly emotional after their fight on Saturday, immediately showing respect to the young fighter. Talbot, 27, outperformed Cejudo across three rounds at UFC 323, earning a unanimous decision victory in what turned out to be the former two-division champion’s final match. Despite being bloodied and worn, the retiring Olympic gold medalist approached Dana White afterward, urging his opponent to “be careful.”
Talbot, known as a rising star in the bantamweight division, had previously faced his first loss against Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311 in January but bounced back with a win over Felipe Lima. His performance against Cejudo was considered the best of his career so far.
Even though Talbot won decisively, he was humble and largely deferred to Cejudo’s retirement announcement after the fight. He was honored with a tribute video and received an unofficial $50,000 bonus from Dana White. Talbot later shared on Ariel Helwani’s show Uncrowned how much Cejudo’s gesture meant to him, revealing it nearly brought him to tears. He noted that while Cejudo often faces criticism and is seen as a villain, he is genuinely a kind and generous person. However, Talbot stood by his pre-fight nickname for Cejudo, “Old Yeller,” without apology.
Fan Take: This moment highlights the deep respect and sportsmanship that exists beneath the fierce competition in MMA. For fight fans, it’s a reminder that even in retirement, legends like Cejudo continue to shape the sport by inspiring the next generation.
