Payton Talbott was eating at a sushi restaurant while a senior at Reno High School in the fall of 2016 when he caught a glimpse of a commercial that he couldn’t look away from.
The ad was promoting the upcoming UFC 205 pay-per-view, and more specifically, a main event starring Conor McGregor’s attempt to become a two-division champion in a bout against then-lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.
McGregor’s highlight reel mesmerized Talbott.
“I was amazed that was actually allowed and I was like, ‘I want to give that a shot,’ after seeing how free Conor looked,” Talbott reflected earlier this week.