Former two-division champion Henry Cejudo is making an unexpected return to mixed martial arts, having booked a surprise year-end fight. This comeback arrives at a critical juncture, as Cejudo is currently facing an unprecedented three-fight losing streak, the first of his distinguished career.
Cejudo has been sidelined since his controversial loss to Song Yadong earlier this year. Preceding this, he suffered a title eliminator defeat to the reigning bantamweight kingpin Merab Dvalishvili, and a prior loss to former champion Aljamain Sterling upon his initial return to the Octagon.
In a notable deviation from his recent high-stakes bouts, Cejudo is slated to compete against an unranked opponent for the first time in years. His bantamweight return will feature him squaring off against Contender Series alumnus Payton Talbott.
Henry Cejudo to Face Payton Talbott at UFC 323
The Olympic gold medalist Cejudo is scheduled to appear on the undercard of UFC 323, which will serve as the final pay-per-view event of the year. Here, he will welcome the challenge of the up-and-coming Payton Talbott. Talbott recently rebounded from his first professional loss—an upset to perennial contender Raoni Barcelos at UFC 311—by securing a hard-fought decision victory over Felipe Lima this summer.
Despite Talbott`s current unranked status, Cejudo, who holds the #10 spot in the bantamweight division, will put his ranking on the line in this intriguing December clash.
UFC 323 promises a stacked card, also featuring a highly anticipated title rematch between Merab Dvalishvili and Petr Yan. Furthermore, the flyweight championship will be contested in the co-main event, showcasing Brazilian superstar Alexandre Pantoja against the surging Joshua Van, who is fresh off a `Fight of the Year` contender performance against Brandon Royval.
Henry Cejudo Briefly Considered a Second Retirement
Cejudo initially retired from the sport five years ago following a dominant victory over former champion Dominick Cruz, only to return later to face Aljamain Sterling. However, in the wake of the severe eye-poke incident against Yadong earlier this year, the Arizona native revealed he had briefly contemplated stepping away from competition once more due to the nature and severity of the injury.
