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Ex-UFC champ douses cold water on Payton Talbott fighting Sean O'Malley next

Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling dismissed the idea of Payton Talbott facing Sean O'Malley next, instead suggesting a matchup against younger contenders like Cory Sandhagen or Marlon Vera. Sterling’s skepticism grew after Talbott defeated Deiveson Figueiredo in the first round at UFC 332, marking his second straight victory over a former UFC titleholder.

Sterling even jokingly proposed pairing Talbott with Aiemann Zahabi, questioning the logic behind potential matchups at the featherweight division. Despite Talbott’s recent momentum—including a win over Henry Cejudo—Sterling defended his own legacy, criticizing fans who downplayed his championship reign by focusing on Cejudo’s return from injury.

Meanwhile, Talbott has publicly called out O’Malley, the fighter who ended Sterling’s title run, though Sterling believes the UFC is unlikely to make it happen anytime soon. The bantamweight division remains active, with multiple contenders vying for a title shot, including Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov.

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