Payton Talbott’s long layoff could have looked very different if one highly anticipated matchup had actually materialized.
The UFC bantamweight contender revealed that he was originally expected to fight former champion Sean O’Malley at UFC White House in June, but the matchup ultimately fell through after a string of potential opponents reportedly became unavailable.
Payton Talbott Claims Sean O’Malley Fight Was On The Table
Talbott, who last fought Henry Cejudo at UFC 323 in December, explained that O’Malley was one of several names discussed for his return.
I was supposed to fight Sean (O’Malley), then I was supposed to fight him, I was supposed to fight her, all kinds of names,” Talbott said on his YouTube channel.
According to “Switch”, the explanations he received for the failed matchups repeatedly involved injuries, specifically broken feet.
Supposedly when I was supposed to fight them, they all had a broken foot,” Talbott said. “I was like, ‘Dude, what’s up with everybody’s feet right now?’
Talbott eventually began questioning whether the repeated cancellations were simply bad luck or something else.
It could be UFC. It could be people scared. I wonder which?
O’Malley ultimately competed at UFC Freedom 250, where he stopped Aiemann Zahabi in the second round to secure his second consecutive victory.
“Switch” will now finally return at UFC 332 on Saturday, facing former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo in the co-main event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.
The 28-year-old enters the matchup with an 11-1 professional record after winning five of his six UFC appearances, looking to make up for the lengthy absence with another statement performance.
