Talbott Eyes O'Malley Fight If Dvalishvili Wins At UFC 333

Payton Talbott wants Sean O'Malley next, but the matchup might hinge on whether Merab Dvalishvili recaptures bantamweight gold.

Talbott, coming off a first-round stoppage of Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 332 on Saturday, told reporters in Salt Lake City that a clash with O'Malley becomes obvious if Dvalishvili beats Petr Yan at UFC 333 in October, according to MMA Fighting.

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"If I'm being transparent, if Merab wins then it's a no-brainer," Talbott said. "He's already fought Merab plenty of times and lost. If Yan wins, then I don't know we'll have to see."

Why Talbott Sees O'Malley As Natural Next Step

The 28-year-old has won three straight since losing to Raoni Barcelos in early 2025, beating Felipe Lima, Henry Cejudo, and now Figueiredo. He finished the former flyweight champion with punches after landing a right hand in the opening round.

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Talbott acknowledged O'Malley holds a higher ranking but framed the bout as a proving ground. "He's called the best striker in our division, and I'd like to put that to the test," he said, per the report.

O'Malley dropped the title to Dvalishvili twice and has since rebounded with wins over Song Yadong and Aiemann Zahabi. He believes a Yan victory at UFC 333 on Oct. 24 could open a path back to a championship fight.

Reported via:

• BJPenn — Payton Talbott envisions Sean O’Malley fight if Merab Dvalishvili regains UFC gold: “I think both of us should want it”