Payton Talbott just threw down a challenge to former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley after absolutely dominating Deiveson Figueiredo. Talbott, rocking a 12-1 MMA and 6-1 UFC record, snagged a first-round TKO in the UFC 332 co-main event in Salt Lake City’s Delta Center, and immediately set his sights on “Suga.” But O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch, is making it crystal clear: the UFC title comes first, no matter how sick that Talbott fight would be.
“Suga” Sean’s Coach Praises Talbott’s Style, But Draws a Line
Welch knows a good fight when he sees one, and he’s not holding back his praise for Talbott. He even said on his YouTube channel that “Suga” vs. Payton Talbott would be a “sick, sick f*cking fight.” He sees a lot of O’Malley in Talbott’s game, noting “the way he fakes his uppercuts, the way he stutters into his jab, stutters into his one-two, it’s almost like he fights just like ‘Suga.’ Just a titch slower.” Welch is a fan, crediting Talbott’s loss to Barcelos for making him “level up big time.” He pointed out Talbott’s upright stance, punching at the end of his range, and composed trickiness. Still, Welch pushed back hard on Daniel Cormier and others who are pushing for the O’Malley-Talbott matchup. While not saying Talbott is lying about a potential offer, Welch is adamant that the UFC never approached *them* with that specific name. He scoffed at Cormier’s suggestion to “forget that” title shot, reminding everyone about “the pay difference” between a world championship bout and fighting a “No. 11 ranked guy now.” It’s all about priorities, man.
Title Aspirations Dictate O’Malley’s Next Move
The whole situation hinges on the upcoming bantamweight title-fight trilogy between champion Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333, set for October 24. O’Malley is on standby, waiting to see who comes out on top. If Yan wins, Welch is confident O’Malley gets the title shot, especially since “Suga” already holds a win over the Russian from UFC 280. This upcoming fight dictates everything for O’Malley’s future. As Welch put it, “Oct. 24, we’re going to find out.” If Yan loses, though, that’s when a potential O’Malley-Talbott showdown becomes a real, tantalizing possibility that Welch clearly looks forward to “one day.”
So, mark your calendars for UFC 333 on October 24. The winner of Yan vs. Dvalishvili isn’t just taking home gold, they’re deciding Sean O’Malley’s next massive step. Will it be a title shot for “Suga” or a potential electrifying clash with the rising star Payton Talbott? We’ll know soon enough!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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