Sean O'Malley Pulls Up Receipts to Answer Talbott Ducking Claims
O'Malley fired back on Instagram after Talbott called him out at UFC 332.
The back-and-forth between Sean O'Malley and Payton Talbott is not slowing down.
Talbott put the bantamweight division on notice at UFC 332 Saturday night, finishing former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo via TKO in under two and a half minutes. During his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Talbott turned his attention straight to O'Malley.
"I just mopped the floor with two champions, back-to-back, and I want another one," Talbott said. "You can't run forever."
O'Malley was not having it. The former bantamweight champion took to Instagram Stories to push back on the ducking narrative, posting his recent fight record as evidence.
"4 out of last 7 fights have been against 3 of the greatest bantamweights of all time," O'Malley wrote. "Ain't duckin no one."
O'Malley also referenced earlier rumors that he had turned down a White House fight offer against Talbott, calling the claim "absolutely bullsh*t." In a follow-up story, he mocked Talbott's appearance before dismissing the callout entirely, per LowKick MMA.
The tension has been building since Talbott's rapid climb through the bantamweight rankings. The rising contender has now made quick work of two former champions in consecutive outings. O'Malley, who lost his bantamweight title to Merab Dvalishvili, has been linked to several opponents but has not booked his next fight.
Whether this beef leads to an actual booking remains to be seen, but Talbott is making it very hard for the rest of the division to look away.
I love where this is headed. Talbott is doing everything right. He finishes former champions in the first round and immediately calls out the biggest name available. That is exactly how you build a career in this sport.
O'Malley has a point too. The man fought Chito Vera, Aljamain Sterling, and Merab Dvalishvili in a stretch. That is not ducking anybody. The problem is that perception matters more than reality in the fight game, and right now Talbott looks like the guy who wants all the smoke while O'Malley looks like the guy posting on Instagram.
My advice to both: shut up and sign the contract. This fight sells itself. Talbott's finishing power against O'Malley's precision striking is a bantamweight fan's dream. I would watch this from my couch or walk down to the arena for it. Either way, I am watching.
