We need to see this fight!! Sean O'Malley and Payton Talbott have been going back and forth and it seems the paths of these giants are soon to cross, Talbott picked up an insane first round KO at UFC 332 and got on the mic and called out The Sugar Show claming he can't keep running and hiding forever Sean took to social media and said he has been fighting the best of the best for years and being a previous champion has ducked nobody Who would win in a fight if they collide?
Payton Talbott used his first-round knockout at UFC 332 as a launching pad, grabbing the microphone afterward to call out Sean O'Malley and accusing the former champion of running and hiding. O'Malley responded on social media, insisting he has ducked nobody.
The exchange has been building for some time, with the two bantamweights going back and forth in public. Talbott's finish gave him fresh momentum, and he wasted no time pointing it at one of the division's biggest names.
According to the report, O'Malley pushed back on the claim. He said he has faced the best fighters in the sport for years and, as a former champion, has avoided no one.
The callout from Talbott
Talbott, 28, is 12-1 and ranked 11th at bantamweight. The American trains out of Reno Academy of Combat and fights from a switch stance. He lands 6.62 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy, numbers that fit the kind of quick, decisive finish he delivered at UFC 332. He stands five-foot-ten with a 70-inch reach.
The response from O'Malley
O'Malley, known as Suga, is 20-3 and holds the number two spot in the bantamweight rankings. The 31-year-old represents MMA Lab and is also a switch-stance fighter. He lands 6.05 significant strikes per minute at 60 percent accuracy. He is an inch taller than Talbott at five-foot-eleven and owns a 72-inch reach, a two-inch advantage.
Why it matters
- The rankings gap is large: ninth places separate the number 11 contender from the number two fighter, so a win would be a significant jump for Talbott.
- Both men are switch-stance strikers with similar output, which points to a stand-up-focused matchup.
- O'Malley's response shows the callout has not been ignored, though no bout has been made official.
For now, this remains a public back-and-forth between two bantamweights. Talbott has made his demand and O'Malley has answered it, but nothing has been announced.
