A tough UFC return for Payton Talbott
There’s no question this a very tough matchup for Payton Talbott.
Like his countryman Barcelos, Felipe Lima is much more experienced than the 26-year-old prospect. He’s currently sporting a 14-1 record, while Talbott is 9-1. On the other hand, Lima just one year older than Talbott, at 27, while Barcelos is 38. That could also be an advantage for him. The Brazilian has only fought twice in the UFC so far, but has won both contests, first submitting fellow prospect Muhammad Naimov, then defeating Octagon veteran Miles Johns. His only loss occurred in his first pro fight, which means he’s on a 14-fight winning streak.
Still, there’s no reason to believe Talbott can’t win this fight. While his weakness in the grappling department was definitely exposed in his last fight, that loss was preceded by a 3-o start to his UFC career. First, he submitted Nick Aguirre in his debut. Later, he knocked out Cameron Saiiman. Most recently, he knocked out Yanis Ghemmouri—in less than 20 seconds. He’s in for a tough fight at UFC 317, but he definitely has the skills to get back to winning ways.
UFC 317 will be topped by a fight between Ilia Topuria and Charles Oliveira, who will battle for the vacant lightweight belt. It will be one of the biggest cards of the year. That means there will be lots of eyes on Talbott as he attempts to make his comeback.
