Payton Talbott Shines Again - What's Next for the Bantamweight Star?

Payton Talbott once again put on a show against a former champion, Deiveson Figueiredo. The American was dominant from start to finish and picked up the knockout in just 2:09 to put all bantamweights on notice.

With the win at UFC 332, Talbott extended his winning run to three straight and picked up his second win over a former champion, having defeated Henry Cejudo prior to UFC 332.

He took to the mic after the fight to call out another champion, Sean O'Malley. Is this the next fight for Payton Talbott? We take a look.

Matchmaking Payton Talbott

Sean O'Malley

It's the fight that everyone wants to see, and it's a fight that would certainly have fans on the edge of their seats. There's one caveat to this fight - Would Sean O'Malley take it?

It's a risky fight for O'Malley, who is seemingly on the cusp of another shot at gold. O'Malley's next fight largely depends on the outcome of Petr Yan vs Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 333. If Yan wins, O'Malley will be next. If Merab wins, it's unlikely anyone would want to see a third fight between the two, especially as Merab was so dominant in their first two fights.

Let's see how the UFC 333 co-main event plays out before booking this one.

Raul Rosas Jr

We know that the UFC is not afraid to put prospect vs prospect in order to determine which one takes the step forward. If we take Cody Garbrandt vs Thomas Almeida as an example in the bantamweight division. Both men were on a tear, and the winner was set to take a big step forward. Garbrandt won, and we all know what happened next.

If Talbott and Rosas Jr. faced off, we would get a good idea as to who truly is the best young prospect at 135lbs. 

It would also be a good clash of styles. Last time out, we saw the Mexican stand and bang a lot more than we previously have seen; however, it's unlikely he would do that against Talbott. Book it and see which prospect prospers.

Cory Sandhagen

Former title challenger Cory Sandhagen is in a difficult position. He's better than the majority of the division but has yet to be able to take that step into the truly elite of the division, and when he has stepped up, he's lost.

Sandhagen is 1-3 in his last four bouts and is at a crossroads in his career. One more loss and it could be curtains for Sandhagen, which is why Talbott offers the perfect test. If Talbott beats Sandhagen, it's proof that he's ready to step up to the elite level. If he loses, it's back to the drawing board for the prospect.