A pair of top-notch bantamweight prospects faced off on the UFC Vegas 89 main card, with Payton Talbott taking on Cameron Saaiman.
Talbott, undefeated to start the night, was looking to make it back-to-back losses for Saaiman, who had suffered his first career defeat against Christian Rodriguez in his last outing.
It was Talbott walking his opponent down and finding success with his 1-2 early on; Saaiman was forced to retreat, circling along the fence. Just 90 seconds into the opening frame, and South Africa’s Saaiman was wobbled; moments later, he was felled with a knee. Saaiman somehow survived, up on his feet but eating shots to the body. Talbott began pouring it on, working the body more, adding lefts and rights. Cameron Saaiman was, to put in bluntly, under fire and close to being finished.
Saiiman again weathered the storm, but Talbott fired a knee up the middle and a kick up high, mixing his attacks together beautifully. Saaiman was returning fire where he could, but was showing damage and being badly out-struck. The highlight of the round for Cameron Saiiman was a textbook spinning back kick to the midsection; moments later, Saaiman landed low, but Talbott wanted nothing to do with a break in the action. Instead, he finished out the round trading with Saaiman, and winning those exchanges.
Talbott dropped Saaiman early in round two care of a left hook, and immediately, Payton jumped on top of his fallen foe. Saaiman attempted to fight him off, but with the ground n’ pound underway, the ref had seen enough, stepping in to wave off the fight!
An absolute dismantling by Payton Talbott, who puts away a fellow top prospect and maintains his perfect record in the proces.
Official Result: Payton Talbott def. Cameron Saaiman by TKO, Round 2, 0:21
