
Israel adesanya in a video for his YouTube channel. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube
Amidst so many interesting fights married for the first pay per view of the 2025 Ultimate, one athlete in particular seems to have the admiration of Israel adesanya. According to the former UFC middleweight champion (up to 83,9 kg.), Payton Talbott, which faces Raoni barcelos on the preliminary card of UFC 311, in a duel valid for the category (up to 61,2 kg), should be observed with greater attention.
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In a video published on your YouTube channel, the Nigerian highlighted some fights and fighters that he is most interested in following next Saturday (18), and spoke about Talbott, seen by part of the foreign media as the future of the division.
“Hey, Payton! I like this kid. Have you seen him fight? He’s cool, he’s got that big black tattoo on his chest and back. He’s a good fighter,” Adesanya said.
At just 26 years old, Talbott made his MMA debut in 2021 and is undefeated as a professional fighter, with nine wins and no losses. He caught the attention of the sport's biggest organization in 2023, when he signed a UFC contract through the Dana White Contender Series. Only one of his fights went to a decision.
If you're a casual MMA, Payton Talbott has all the makings of a potential superstar. Good dude, solid head on his shoulders, extremely unique and is a bad motherfucker in the cage. He fights this weekend pic.twitter.com/dfFD6nFgQj
— jake (@jszaniawski) January 14, 2025
Talbott has only three UFC fights under his belt. On the other hand, Raoni is a veteran in the sport, with more than 11 appearances in the world's biggest MMA event, and is coming off a win against Cristian Quiñonez. The two face each other in the last fight of the preliminary card, a position that is usually chosen based on greater exposure to the North American public.
Raoni barcelos is a Brazilian highlight in UFC 311. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
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