Payton Talbott got back to winning ways in style tonight at UFC 317 with a unanimous decision victory over Felipe Lima.
Round One
Glancing right hook from Lima to start. He comes close with a knee upstairs at close quarters.
Jab for Talbott. A couple of punches in response from Lima. Talbott applying pressure now and looking for straight punches. Lima catches him again though.
They clinch now and Lima drives Talbott over to the cage. Talbott able to reverse the clinch, but then Lima is able to move away.
Lima misses with a high kick. Talbott comes forward, but Lima times a takedown and brings him down. Talbott rolling and trying to escape, and does a good job of managing to get on top.
Lima onto his knees now and then scrambles, seizing on a leg lock attempt, but Talbott gets free of that and tries to keep him down. Lima able to work his way to his feet, but Talbott presses him up against the cage.
Talbott thinking about a takedown, but it doesn’t go according to plan and Lima ends up on top. Talbott trying to get back upright now, working to his knees and then stands, but now it’s Lima maintaining the clinch against the cage. Talbott able to reverse the position again before the round ends.
Round Two
Talbott looking to apply pressure early in the second round. Nice punch lands for Lima though. Lima working for a takedown now, but gets a bit overenthusiastic and Talbott ends up sprawling and then getting on top.
Talbott working ground-and-pound, but then opts to stand back up. Jab for Talbott. Body punch for Lima. Lima in on a takedown attempt, but Talbott shuts it down and gets on top again. Great work from him to shore up his takedown defense so well in a short space of time.
Kicks exchanged. Talbott lands a spinning back kick to the body. Right hand gets through for Talbott now. Lima goes back to working for a takedown and this time is able to do so. However, Lima tries to hop onto Talbott’s back as he’s standing back up, and ends up getting to high and sliding off.
Now it’s Talbott who is able to get on top again and even manages to move to full mount just as the round is coming to a close.
Round Three
Straight punches for Talbott and Lima fires back and then moves away. Low kick for Talbott. Now an inside leg kick from Lima.
Spinning back fist from Lima is blocked. Lima with a good right hand now. Low kick for Talbott and then a one-two. Body punch from Lima.
Lima working for a takedown now. He goes to the cage and tries to hoist Talbott’s leg up high, but he still retains his balance. Lima gives up on that, but goes straight in for another takedown and lands it this time.
Lima moves into half-guard, but Talbott rolls to his knees and then stands. Lima remaining clinched up though. Talbott gets free.
Jab for Lima. Body kick from Talbott. Lima backing up and Talbott puts together a brief combination of straight punches.
Talbott pressing forward with a jab. Spinning heel kick from Talbott lands! Lima attempts a head kick and it’s blocked. Lima wants a takedown, but it’s Talbott who gets on top in half-guard with a little over a minute to go.
Talbott able to get to mount. Lima scrambles and is almost able to get on top. Talbott turns into him though and then starts blasting some ground-and-pound.
Talbott with more punches now as Lima desperately tries to get back upright. Strong end to the round from Talbott.
Decision
An impressive showing from Talbott here then, showing great improvements to his takedown defense and overall ground game, while still being a dangerous pressure fighter on the feet too, and that leads him to a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
