UFC bantamweight prospect Payton Talbott has broken his silence after having the undefeated start to his professional career brought to a close this past weekend.
Talbott was among the heavy favorites to emerge victorious from the first pay-per-view event of 2025, UFC 311 from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California on Jan. 18.
But in the featured preliminary contest, the charismatic 135lber had his charge up the ladder stalled by a veteran of the sport in Raoni Barcelos, who utilized his grappling prowess to outpoint his much younger opponent across three rounds.
While three straight UFC wins and an unblemished 9-0 record brought plenty of hype to Talbott’s name, cries of “fraud checked” were quick to fly around some MMA circles — as is often the case when a promising prospect endures a setback.
But after taking some days to digest the result before releasing a statement, it doesn’t appear as though the defeat in Los Angeles has dented the up-and-comer’s motivation.
“The vet gave me my first scar,” he wrote on Instagram. “May the skin heal itself to be strong and never split again. lucky to have such people in my life. fortunate to be able to learn valuable lessons. still had fun.”
Having opened his Octagon account for the year with a first career loss, Talbott will be looking to reverse his 2025 fortunes when he makes the walk once again.
And at the age of just 26, it’s safe to say that there’s plenty of time for the talented striker to round out his game in the months and years to come.
