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Payton Talbott sees a path to fighting Sean O’Malley next, but it could depend on the outcome of an upcoming title trilogy.

Talbott dazzled fight fans once again in the UFC 332 co-main event this past Saturday. He made short work of former flyweight titleholder Deiveson Figueiredo. Talbott got the opening round TKO after dropping his opponent with a right hand and following up with some more punches for the finish.

In the aftermath of UFC 332, Talbott sees an opportunity for a sink or swim fight against O’Malley. Chatting with reporters in Salt Lake City, Talbott said a clash with the “Suga” show would make sense if Merab Dvalishvili defeats Petr Yan to regain the 135-pound gold at UFC 333 (h/t MMAFighting).

“We’ll see what happens with Merab and Yan,” Talbott said. “If I’m being transparent, if Merab wins then it’s a no-brainer. He’s already fought Merab plenty of times and lost. If Yan wins, then I don’t know we’ll have to see. “He is a higher position than me, we’ll see where my rank goes. I understand the position that I’m in, but it’s a fun fight. I think both of us should want it. He’s called the best striker in our division, and I’d like to put that to the test.”

The 28-year-old has been soaring in the bantamweight division. After suffering the first loss of his pro MMA career against Raoni Barcelos back in early 2025, Talbott bounced back with a three-fight winning streak. In that span, he’s beaten Felipe Lima, Henry Cejudo, and now Figueiredo.

O’Malley suffered two losses to Dvalishvili, losing the bantamweight title in their first meeting. He has rebounded with wins over Song Yadong and Aiemann Zahabi. O’Malley believes he can get another championship fight if Yan defeats Dvalishvili on Oct. 24.

Do you think Sean O’Malley vs. Payton Talbott is the right fight to book? Drop your take in the comments below.

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM