UFC 332 was another big proving ground for Payton Talbott, and the rising bantamweight passed it with flying colors. Talbott demolished former two-time flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in the opening round, stopping him at just 2:09 minutes.
The win marks Talbott’s second straight victory over a former UFC champion. He previously beat Henry Cejudo in December 2025, and while he entered UFC 332 as a heavy favorite, he still had to go out there and prove why. That’s exactly what he did.
Payton Talbott Targets Third Former UFC Champion in His Next Fight
Talbott came out firing and wasted no time putting Figueiredo in trouble. The 28-year-old landed a sharp right hand that dropped the Brazilian almost immediately, setting the tone for what would become a one-sided fight.
Figueiredo managed to recover and get back to his feet, but Talbott simply kept coming. When the former champion tried to shoot for a takedown, Talbott caught him with a knee to the chin.
Talbott then created some space before landing another huge shot. Figueiredo was more than willing to trade, but that proved to be a bad idea. Talbott backed him up against the fence and continued unloading until referee Jason Herzog had seen enough and stepped in to stop the fight.
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The impressive finish had Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier calling for a major fight for Talbott next. The rising star also made his preferred opponent clear, calling out former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley during his post-fight interview.
He said, “I just mopped the floor with two champions back-to-back, and I want another one. Sean O’Malley. You can’t run forever. “Andrew Garfield—I mean Sean O’Malley! You can’t run forever. Give the people what they want!”
Talbott and O’Malley already have some history. Earlier this year, Talbott accused O’Malley of ducking him for the UFC Freedom 250 card, something O’Malley strongly denied in an explosive video on social media.
A matchup between the two would certainly be an interesting one, although O’Malley has his own plans right now. The former champion is hoping his wins over Song Yadong and Aiemann Zahabi will be enough to earn another shot at the bantamweight title.
What happens next also depends on the result of the upcoming trilogy fight between current champion Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili on October 24 at UFC 333.
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If Dvalishvili wins, Yadong could be next in line, especially since “Suga” has already lost twice to the Georgian. If Yan retains the title, however, O’Malley could potentially get another shot at him, setting up a rematch of their UFC 280 fight, which O’Malley won by a close decision.
As for Talbott, he is now 12-1 in his career and has two former champions on his recent resume. After another statement win, the 28-year-old is quickly becoming one of the most interesting names at 135 pounds.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
