Payton Talbott’s absence from the octagon since his December fight has not been due to his own decision. Talbott (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has not fought since his electrifying win over Henry Cejudo at UFC 323. He is set to face Deiveson Figueiredo (25-7-1 MMA, 14-7-1 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 332, taking place Saturday at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City and airing on Paramount+.
The 28-year-old fighter revealed that the UFC had intended for him to compete at an event held at the White House in June, but no opponent matchups came together. He specifically mentioned a well-known former champion who is one of the sport’s biggest stars.
“I was supposed to fight Sean (O’Malley), then I was supposed to fight him, I was supposed to fight her, lots of names,” Talbott shared on his YouTube channel. “Apparently, when I was about to fight them, they all ended up with broken feet. I thought, ‘What’s going on with everyone’s feet right now? Maybe there’s something in the water.’ They kept saying, ‘So-and-so broke his foot and really wants to fight you, but his foot’s broken. Another guy was about to fight you, but this morning he broke his foot.’ That’s pretty much what I kept hearing. Then the funny thing was those same fighters who claimed their feet were broken started getting booked for other fights. It could be the UFC, it could be that they’re scared—I wonder which?”
Former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley (20-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) eventually fought Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250, securing a second consecutive victory with a second-round knockout.
Fan Take: This insider glimpse into fight negotiations highlights the unpredictability behind the scenes, which fans rarely see. Talbott’s upcoming matchup against Figueiredo not only re-energizes his career but also promises an exciting clash that could reshape the UFC’s landscape in the near future.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
