Peyton Talbot shuts down Henry Seyud in the final showdown in the Octagon at UFC 323

The torch has been officially handed over. Peyton Talbot (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) defeated the two-division champion Henry Cejudo (16-6 MMA, 10-6 UFC) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) in Cehud’s retirement fight at the UFC 323 on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arenaclosing the chapter on one of MMA’s most decorated careers while solidifying Talbot’s arrival as a legitimate bantamweight contender.​​

Cejud’s “Last Dance” did not end with the fairy-tale ending he envisioned, but with a stark reminder that time remains undefeated. The 38-year-old Olympic gold medalist struggled to close the distance against the younger, taller Talbot, who took advantage of his five-inch height and six-and-a-half-inch reach to keep the fight within striking distance. Talbot’s varied striking offense and improved takedown defense neutralized Cejud’s wrestling pedigree, forcing the former champion into a kickboxing match he could not win.​​

The judges’ scores reflected Talbot’s dominance in all three rounds. The 27-year-old prospect controlled the cage, landed the cleaner shots and hit all six of Cejudo’s takedown attempts. While Cejudo has shown flashes of his championship brilliance, his hitting accuracy has noticeably decreased since his first retirement, landing just 47% of his meaningful strikes compared to Talbott’s 56%.​​

For Cejudo, the loss marked his fourth straight defeat since returning from a three-year hiatus in 2023. “Triple C” leaves the sport with an undeniable legacy—an Olympic gold medalist, a simultaneous two-division UFC champion and three Hall of Famers in Demetrius G. Johnson, TJ Dominion Johnson. However, his second act has failed to match his first, with decision losses to Aljamain Sterling, Merab Dvalishvili, Song Yadong and now Talbot blurring his recent streak.​​

“This is it for me,” Cejudo confirmed before the match, expressing gratitude instead of disappointment. “I am happy and satisfied with my career. What I managed to achieve and how I did it is special for me.”​

Henry Cejudo officially retired after losing to Peyton Talbot at UFC 323 🫡 pic.twitter.com/CfcHJCp6pt

— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) December 7, 2025

Talbot’s win confirms the hype surrounding him as the division’s next star. After bouncing back from his first career loss to Raoni Barcellos with wins over Felipe Lima and now Cejudo, the desert MMA product has positioned himself as a top ten contender for the 2026 bout. The performance answered questions about his ability to handle elite competition, proving that his knee strikes and superior style can frustrate even the greatest players in UFC history.

The quarterback generational change was complete when referee Herb Dean raised Talbot’s hand. Cejudo drew a standing ovation, his gold medals and championship belts secure in history, while Talbot celebrated the biggest win of his career – the kind of win that turns prospects into contenders.