Talbott Stands by Claim That an O'Malley Fight Was Discussed

Payton Talbott faces Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 332 on Saturday, after a long stretch of fights that never came together. He says the inactivity left him questioning where he stood in the sport.

"It's weird when you're 27, at the time, and you feel like you're nearing your prime. Super healthy and you're not able to progress through your sport," Talbott told reporters on Wednesday. He said he got imposter syndrome now and then, and that staying busy with things outside of fighting is what helped.

The O'Malley talks

Much of his frustration came from matchups that fell apart before they were made official. That included a possible fight with Sean O'Malley. Tim Welch had questioned whether those discussions ever took place, and Talbott says they did.

"I think Tim Welch said like cap when I was like yeah I was in talks with Sean O'Malley. I mean, why would I lie about that? There's no contract, but there were talks on my end and that was a name that was being offered to me," he said.

He does not put the blame on opponents alone. Sometimes, he said, the UFC stepped in with logistics and a fight could not happen anymore. There was also one month of the year when he could not fight, which botched things on his end.

Figueiredo and the rankings

Talbott knows Figueiredo arrives with something to prove after a rough run in his last few fights, and he hopes that is the version who shows up. "Seems like he's locked in and he's ready to go. He's prepared to go to war which I love to hear on fight week," he said.

A win over a former champion would be the biggest of his career, and he expects the rankings to reflect it. "If I go out there and do a good job Saturday night, I should have a single digit number by my name," Talbott said.

Source: Cageside Press