Aiemann Zahabi doesn't expect UFC to book him against Payton Talbott
The Canadian believes Payton Talbott will get a bigger fight after his first-round TKO over Deiveson Figueiredo.
Aiemann Zahabi does not expect to be Payton Talbott's next opponent. The Canadian bantamweight believes the UFC will look to give the rising prospect a bigger fight after Talbott stopped former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 332.
Zahabi believes Talbott has put himself in position for a bigger fight after extending his winning streak to three bouts. The Canadian also believes the UFC will consider its biggest options for the rising bantamweight before booking his next opponent.
Aiemann Zahabi Doesn't Expect to Face Payton Talbott
Zahabi is coming off his first defeat since 2019 in June, when he suffered a TKO loss to Sean O'Malley. The setback snapped a seven-fight winning streak and the Canadian now sits at No. 13 in the bantamweight division.
With that in mind, Zahabi does not believe the UFC will match him with Talbott at this stage. The American moved up to No. 11 in the division, surpassing Zahabi in the rankings. Now, the Canadian thinks the promotion will look to maximize the value of the rising prospect by booking him against a bigger name in the bantamweight division.
"I don't think they want to give him to me now," Zahabi told MMA Junkie. "He's blowing up for them. I think where they're going to go with him is either going to be Merab, if Petr Yan wins, or they're going to go O'Malley. You have to look at it from the UFC's value. What does the UFC think is the most valuable thing we can do with this guy? I feel like that's where they're going to go with him."
Zahabi also expects Talbott to receive an opponent ranked above him after his recent success.
"The guy is doing a good job," Zahabi said. "I think he's going to get something above me. I assume he's going to get something above me."
Aiemann Zahabi Sees Big Fights Ahead for Payton Talbott
On Saturday, Talbott defeated Figueiredo via first-round TKO and called out Sean O'Malley after his victory. However, Zahabi isn't so sure the UFC will grant Talbott's request. Instead, the Canadian believes the American's next opponent could depend on the result of the upcoming bantamweight title fight between Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333.
"I don't know if he'll get that fight if Petr Yan wins," Zahabi said. "I think if Merab wins, he might get that fight because I don't think they're going to do O'Malley vs. Merab 3. But Petr Yan vs. Sean O'Malley is happening if Petr Yan wins."
Regardless of which direction the division takes, Zahabi believes Talbott is in an excellent position after his latest victory.
"If he gets the O'Malley fight, great," Zahabi said. "That's a crazy fight, lots of fireworks in that fight. If Petr Yan wins and Sean O'Malley gets the title shot, Payton could fight Merab. Why wouldn't he fight Merab? If he's in the mix now with those guys, if the UFC considers him to be in the mix with those guys now, why wouldn't that be a good fight? That would be a huge fight, too. Merab is a mega-star. He's in such a good spot there's no losing if he gets any of those three times."
Talbott earned his UFC contract in 2023 after participating on Dana White's Contender Series. The rising prospect has made seven appearances in the promotion so far, winning six of those bouts. In his last two fights, Talbott defeated two former UFC champions, Henry Cejudo and Figueiredo.
