The first Ultimate Fighting Championship pay-per-view card of 2025, UFC 311, is already stacked as it features ten ranked fighters, one current champion, unranked stars like Kevin Holland, and even a former double champion from another promotion in Reinier de Ridder.
However, despite all the big names who will compete in Los Angeles on January 25th 2025, one of the best fights on the card is an unranked bantamweight matchup that just got announced today by the UFC.
We’re just getting started! ?@PaytonTalbott & @BarcelosRaoni will meet in LA!
[ #UFC311 LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV | 10pmET ] pic.twitter.com/uWIDMjq1Qm
— UFC (@ufc) November 30, 2024
Peyton Talbott is just 9-0 as a professional MMA fighter at 26 years of age but already has star power which has led to him making videos with the likes of Tony Hawk.
Tony Hawk and Payton Talbott ??
(via @PaytonTalbott / @tonyhawk) pic.twitter.com/U06u30w8Fw
— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) June 4, 2024
The former A-1 Combat bantamweight champion entered the UFC through Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023 and quickly reeled off three wins in the promotion, the last two by highlight-reel knockout.
PEYTON TALBOTT PUTS GHEMMOURI’S LIGHTS OUT IN 19 SECONDS!pic.twitter.com/zJSenrmn4P
— mark berry tma (@MarkBerrihehe) June 30, 2024
Yet he will face a sharp increase in level of competition in this newly announced matchup when he takes on his toughest test ever in well-rounded Brazilian veteran Raoni Barcelos.
Barcelos is a BJJ black belt, former Brazilian national wrestling team member, and high-level striker who trains under legendary leg kicker Pedro Rizzo. As recently as 2020 he had won his first five fights in the UFC and was viewed as a dark horse candidate to become champion by many fans due to his diverse skillset.
Three years ago today, Raoni Barcelos finished Kurt Holobaugh with a video game combo
— Alex Behunin (@AlexBehunin) July 14, 2021
However, Raoni entered the UFC late at 31, which is around the age most bantamweights are exiting their prime fighting years. His cardio especially suffered as he lost two straight fights to Timur Valiev and Victor Henry where it cost him.
Since then Barcelos has gone 2-2, losing to only high-ranked contenders Umar Nurmagomedov and Kyler Phillips.
Talbott’s three-inch advantage in height and reach over his opponent will aid his efforts in the striking department, which is his best skill, but his UFC debut against Nick Aguirre proved that he can be wrestled.
Yet if Peyton can defuse the many tools of his fie and remain unbeaten then he will find himself in pole position to call out ranked fighters in the best division in the sport, bantamweight.
If he can do so impressively then they may be the ones calling him out as his starpower continues to rocket towards the moon.
