Talbott Destroys Figueiredo, Calls Out O'Malley
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Payton Talbott stopped former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo with a first-round TKO at UFC 332 in Salt Lake City on Saturday night and immediately called out Sean O'Malley.
Talbott dropped Figueiredo with a right hand inside the opening minute, according to MMA Mania's live coverage. The Brazilian survived the initial knockdown but was badly hurt. Talbott pressed forward, landing an elbow and another right hand that sent Figueiredo to the canvas a second time. The referee stopped the fight at 2:09 of round one.
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Talbott's Size and Range Proved Decisive
The finish capped a dominant two-minute stretch in which Talbott landed practically everything he threw. BJPenn.com reported that the 28-year-old was "picking his shots" while Figueiredo appeared to have no answer. Talbott's reach advantage and shot selection looked sharp from the opening bell, per MMA Mania, and the 38-year-old Figueiredo — famously durable at both flyweight and bantamweight — was broken down quickly.
Talbott was coming off a decision win over former bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo at UFC 323. Figueiredo entered on a two-fight skid, having dropped decisions to Umar Nurmagomedov and Song Yadong.
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After the stoppage, Talbott used his microphone time to call for a fight with former bantamweight champion O'Malley. The two were briefly linked for a bout on a White House card, MMA Mania reported, and the matchup now carries more urgency. Talbott is expected to crack the top ten of the bantamweight rankings with the win.
Photo: Show Me The Money / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Original reporting:
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