UFC 323 ended with a really unexpected moment—not from the fight, but from what happened afterward. Payton Talbott had just demolished Henry Cejudo, a former two-division champion and Olympic gold medalist, but the spotlight did not shine on the emerging star for long. As soon as the last horn sounded, cameras saw ‘Triple C’ walking, bloodied, tired, and emotional, straight to Dana White to make one special request.
And, surprisingly, the gesture was not about him, his legacy, or his retirement. It was about Talbott. The incident went viral as nobody expected the retiring legend to tell the UFC CEO, “Take care of that kid,” as his own career faded to black. And it created the setting for a post-fight conversation that flipped the normal script: the veteran stepping aside, and the prospect attempting to process a kindness offered at the exact time Henry Cejudo could have been thinking only about himself.
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Henry Cejudo’s final gesture hits Payton Talbott harder than any punch
By the time Payton Talbott saw the clip, the emotion he’d been holding together all fight week finally cracked. “That actually meant a lot to me and almost made me kind of tear up,” he told Ariel Helwani. Talbott isn’t known for expressing much emotion, certainly not after a career-best performance, but this was an exception.
It was the context: he had just beaten a man he had previously trained with, and Cejudo chose that moment to advocate for him instead. Payton Talbott feels that people misunderstand Cejudo by focusing solely on the promos and villain persona he constructed to sell his fights. But in actuality, he is a very different breed.
“At his core, man, he is a very generous guy… a solid dude,” he explained. And for him, that generosity was on full show in that short, overlooked exchange with Dana White: one fighter ensuring another’s future in the UFC long after he’s gone. What made it even more extraordinary was Cejudo’s effortless transition to mentorship mode.
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He did not defend the loss, attempt to reclaim the room, or belittle Talbott’s performance. Instead, he only pointed to the younger man’s potential. The 29-year-old understood the weight of that—the respect, the responsibility, and the silent passing of a torch that was unplanned but occurred nonetheless.
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And that’s what stuck with him: not the win, not the bonus Dana White gave him backstage, but the feeling that someone who’d already accomplished so much chose to boost him in their final moments under the spotlight. So now, all he looks forward to is making sure he continues making ‘Triple C’ proud, and to do that, he already has his eyes set on the next potential opponents.
Talbott wants to square off with a striker next
Cejudo’s message didn’t just move Payton Talbott; it sharpened his focus. If a legend is willing to vouch for him moments after defeat, Talbott feels obligated to live up to that level, rather than coast on it. And, from his perspective, the first step is choosing a matchup that allows him to showcase a different side of his game.
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He’s spent the last three fights grinding through wrestlers, and now he wants a bout that will allow him to open up. So, rather than pushing for a title eliminator or a safe stylistic matchup, Talbott is taking a direct risk. “I want a striker next,” he stated, emphasizing that he wants to give spectators something crazy, fast, and entertaining.
He’s proud of his grappling progress, but the 27-year-old wants people to remember what drew him to the dance in the first place: sharp hands, pressure, and a willingness to engage. Names like Marlon “Chito” Vera and Aiemann Zahabi are already at the top of his list. “I’m down for a [Marlon] ‘Chito’ [Vera] or [Aiemann] Zahabi,” he told Helwani.
They are more than just strikers; they are seasoned, durable, and capable of forcing him into a fight that will put his character to the test. That is exactly the point. If Payton Talbott is going to honor Cejudo’s faith in him, he intends to do so by entering a fight where nothing is guaranteed but chaos and opportunity.