UFC Legend Backs Payton Talbott's Call to Fight Ex-UFC Champion Sean O'Malley

One of Payton Talbott’s former opponents is on board with the rising UFC star’s call to fight Sean O’Malley.

The UFC returned to the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT last Saturday for UFC 322, which saw Natalia Silva become the promotion’s new women’s bantamweight champion when she defeated Cong Wang and claimed the vacant belt in the night’s main event.

That matchup for the vacant belt was the only title fight scheduled for UFC 332, but the co-main event did see Talbott take another big step towards men’s bantamweight title contention when he stopped Deiveson Figueiredo in the first round.

UFC Legend Henry Cejudo Wants Payton Talbott vs. Sean O'Malley

A sizeable favorite coming into the night, Talbott became the first fighter to stop Figueiredo with strikes, as the two-time UFC flyweight champion’s previous KO /TKO losses both came via injury.

Deiveson Figueiredo (red gloves) fights Payton Talbott (blue gloves) during UFC 332 at Delta Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Talbott used his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan to deliver an emphatic call out of former UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley, and apparently future UFC Hall of Famer Henry Cejudo thinks that the UFC should absolutely book that fight next.

Nobody wants to fight Payton Talbott. He’s been ignored for a year. You have to give him the best competition and they need to stop protecting Sean O’Methly. Talbott vs O’Methly next sign the contract!!
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) October 4, 2026

“Nobody wants to fight Payton Talbott. He’s been ignored for a year. You have to give him the best competition and they need to stop protecting Sean O’Methly. Talbott vs O’Methly next sign the contract!!”

Henry Cejudo Retired After Losing to Payton Talbott at UFC 323

A former UFC bantamweight and flyweight champion, Cejudo famously retired from MMA for the first time after he successfully defended the bantamweight belt against Dominick Cruz at UFC 288.

Henry Cejudo (red gloves) celebrates after defeating Dominick Cruz (blue gloves) during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. | USA TODAY Sports

“Triple C” returned three years later and fell short in his bid to reclaim the bantamweight title against Aljamain Sterling before he also lost to Merab Dvalishvili and Song Yadong, which set him up for what looked to be a step down in competition against Talbott at UFC 323.

Henry Cejudo (red gloves) fights Payton Talbott (blue gloves) during UFC 323 at T-Mobile Arena. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After a dominant unanimous decision loss to Talbott left him on a four-fight skid, Cejudo retired from MMA for the second time but made his boxing debut last month and has also competed for RAF three times this year.

Will Sean O'Malley Get the Next UFC Bantamweight Title Shot?

Although Talbott is clearly eager to try and secure a win over what would be his third former UFC champion in a row, O’Malley seems content to wait and see how the upcoming bantamweight title fight plays out before committing to his next move.

Merab Dvalishvili (red gloves) fights Sean O’Malley (blue gloves) in a bantamweight title fight during UFC 316 at Prudential Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The men’s bantamweight belt will be up for grabs later this month in the co-main event of UFC 333, where reigning titleholder Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili will settle things with a trilogy fight after Yan unseated the Georgian in their rematch last December.

Oct 22, 2022; Abu Dhabi, UAE; Petr Yan (red gloves) and Sean O'Malley (blue gloves) during UFC 280 at Etihad Arena. | USA TODAY Sports

A win for Dvalishvili would likely dash O’Malley’s hopes of another title shot given that he’s already 0-2 against “The Machine”, but the former bantamweight king did take a controversial unanimous decision over Yan in 2022 and could lean on that history if “No Mercy” gets his hand raised against Dvalishvili on October 24.

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