Israel Adesanya Raves About UFC 311 Prospect Payton Talbott: ‘I Like That Kid'

Former UFC Champ Israel Adesanya shows love to prelim headliner Payton Talbott.

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Israel Adesanya likes what he sees from a young, flashy prospect in Payton Talbott.

Not too long before he became the UFC middleweight champion of the world, Adesanya was an undefeated fighter on the prelims, just as Talbott is this weekend at UFC 311. Power in both hands and the fight IQ to back it, Talbott's a perfect 3-0 in the UFC with a 100% finishing rate.

UFC's Payton Talbott. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Adesanya A Fan Of Talbott: "He's A Good Fighter...'

Talbott could see his stock raise even higher with a win over bantamweight veteran Raoni Barcelos. Heading into Saturday, all eyes are on the 26-year-old, including Adesanya's.

“Yo Payton! I like that kid," Adesanya said of Talbott on his YouTube channel. "Have you seen him fight? He’s cool, he’s got that big, black void tattoo on his chest and his back. He’s a good fighter."

Still to be tested against elite-level competition, Talbott is one of the most diverse strikers we've seen come from Dana White's Contender Series, showing out in each performance.

Talbott is also a much different fighter than we're used to seeing outside of the cage, eerily similar to Israel Adesanya when it comes to fashion sense and his creative side.

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A post shared by Payton Talbott (@paytontalbott)

"The Last Stylebender" Adesanya was on the UFC scene years before Talbott ever arrived, taking the promotion by storm with epic knockouts, post-fight celebrations, and an unapologetic personality which has resonated with so many fans around the world.

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UFC's Israel Adesanya. / Rich Storry-Imagn Images

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