Two minutes and nine seconds. That was all it took before the referee stepped in. The fight did not last long enough to build a conventional story inside the cage, but it lasted long enough to raise new questions in the bantamweight division. Payton Talbott quickly ended the fight against Deiveson Figueiredo, with a right hand changing the course of the bout before sustained pressure brought it to an end.
The central fact is clear: a fast and decisive victory over a name that has already reached the top of the UFC. Figueiredo was not simply another opponent passing through. A former flyweight champion, he brought championship experience into the cage. Yet he never had the time to impose that experience. Talbott’s right hand that sent him to the canvas was not simply the end of the fight; it triggered a sudden acceleration that Figueiredo could not stop.
😂 آخر انتصارين لبايتون تالبوت؟
🥇 هنري سيجودو… بطل سابق في وزنَي الذبابة والدجاجة.
🥇 ديفيسون فيغيريدو… بطل سابق لوزن الذبابة.
والآن؟ 👀🔥يبدو أن تالبوت قرر جمع أبطال سابقين في طريقه واحدًا تلو الآخر! 💀🥊#UFC332 pic.twitter.com/zfC3x8UaQR
— mmamag (@mmamagma) October 5, 2026
With the win, Talbott moves to 12 victories against one defeat and adds a second former UFC champion to his consecutive list of wins. That part is established. What it actually means within the division’s hierarchy remains open to interpretation.
Immediately after the fight, Talbott did not wait around. The name he called out was clear: Sean O’Malley. The request itself is hardly surprising, but the timing matters. Talbott is now trying to establish himself among the serious contenders rather than remain labeled simply as a promising prospect.
He pointed out that he had beaten two former champions in succession and now wanted a third. The statement was straightforward, but it also carried an implicit argument: that this run should be enough to justify a fight of that magnitude.
At the post-fight press conference, Talbott expanded on his reasoning. He suggested that the outcome of the upcoming Merab Dvalishvili–Petr Yan fight could influence the situation at the top of the division. If Merab wins, Talbott believes a fight with O’Malley would make particular sense, especially given the history between the Georgian and the former champion.
That remains Talbott’s assessment, not an official decision. But it shows how he is beginning to read the division from a different position — no longer simply as a young fighter trying to break through.
On the other hand, Talbott acknowledged that a Petr Yan victory could move O’Malley directly back toward another title opportunity. That creates an obvious obstacle to Talbott’s plan: he is asking for a fight that could lose priority if the title picture moves in another direction.
He remains convinced, however, that the matchup has sporting value. In particular, he wants to test O’Malley’s reputation as one of the division’s best strikers. Again, that does not guarantee the fight will happen. It does, however, put the former champion’s name publicly into the path Talbott wants to follow.
Another detail revealed by Talbott is worth noting. He said a fight with O’Malley had previously been proposed for UFC Freedom 250, before the promotion ultimately selected another opponent for “Suga.” That does not mean the matchup is now close to being finalized. It does show that the pairing has already been considered as a possible option.
What can be established is that Talbott is building momentum in a way that is increasingly difficult to overlook: quick finishes, experienced opponents and, after each major victory, a clear willingness to ask for the next level.
Whether that momentum is enough to put him directly opposite Sean O’Malley is another question. That will also depend on factors beyond Talbott’s control: the results of other fights, the title picture and the UFC’s own matchmaking decisions.
Between a right hand that changed the course of a fight in seconds and a public demand to face a former champion, Talbott now has a clear direction. He has not reached the top yet, but the distance between him and it is becoming smaller.
