Payton Talbott continued his unbeaten streak with a staggering 19-second knockout to kick off the prelims at UFC 303.
The 25-year-old was dominant from the get-go in his bantamweight bout against Yanis Ghemmouri, dropping his rival with a clean right hand that landed flush on the chin.
UFC 303: PEREIRA VS PROCHAZKA 2 | SUN 30 JUNE 12PM AEST | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports. Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel is the exclusive home of UFC Pay-Per-View.
Ghemmouri immediately postured up to defend himself but could do nothing as Talbott unloaded with ground strikes, eventually knocking him out as the referee waved off the contest after just 19 seconds.
Speaking after the fight, Talbott described the finish as “electric”.
“It feels like all of my dreams are coming true and everything I believed is in front of my hands right now,” Talbott said in his post-fight interview.
Talbott also called out Adrian Yanez for his next fight.
Renowned MMA journalist Ariel Helwani praised Talbott’s performance on X: “Freaking hell Payton Talbott. Massive favourite or not, that young man is the real deal. Damn.”
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UFC president Dana White has insisted Ian Machado Garry’s threat of a suspension to Michael ‘Venom’ Page as nothing more than “mental warfare” ahead of the pair’s bout on UFC 303.
Garry and Page, known as ‘MVP’, will kick off the main card at UFC 303 as the event builds towards the rematch between Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka for the former’s light heavyweight title.
Although the title fight is the main event, Garry and Page’s bout has undoubtedly captured the attention in the build-up after the Irishman accused his opponent of trying to bribe coaches for information at the press conference.
Garry even speculated Page would be suspended as a result of the indiscretion, but White shot down the rumours.
“Mental warfare,” White said.
“I have no f***ing idea, I mean, as you get closer to the [fight] – what would the thing be?
“If he was trying to spend money to get someone into the camp what would he be charged with if that was the case? This kind of stuff happens, this ain’t the NFL where you’re filming other guys, I have no idea.
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“To me it sounds like mental warfare, he’s trying to get in his head but literally, you probably know more than me.”
White also reacted to Prochazka’s bizarre claims Pereira has been using “rituals” to help him win fights as the Pole called for his rival to “be without some other things”.
“So, he sees him doing the Shaman stuff,” White told The Mac Life.
“I don’t know what the f*** it is, he’s like, ‘This is unfair, he’s using witchcraft or black magic.
“It’s just another reason that this fight is so f***ing awesome.”
UFC 303 FULL RESULTS
Main Card (from 12pm AEST)
Alex Pereira (c) v Jiri Prochazka — for light heavyweight title
Brian Ortega v Diego Lopes — lightweight
Anthony Smith v Roman Dolidze — light heavyweight
Mayra Bueno Silva v Macy Chiasson — women’s bantamweight
Ian Machado Garry v Michael Page — welterweight
Prelims (from 10am AEST)
Joe Pyfer v Marc-Andre Barriault — middleweight
Cub Swanson v Andre Fili — featherweight
Charles Jourdain v Jean Silva — featherweight
Payton Talbott def Yanis Ghemmouri via KO in Round 1 (0:19)
Early Prelims
Michelle Waterson-Gomez def by Gillian Robertson via UD (30-27 x 2, 30-26)
Andrei Arlovski def by Martin Buday via SD (29-28, 30-27, 28-29)
Rei Tsuruya def Carlos Hernandez via UD (29-28 x 3)
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Source Agencies
