Payton Talbott explains “underlying tension” with Sean O’Malley ahead of UFC 303 return

Undefeated UFC bantamweight prospect Payton Talbott feels Sean O’Malley knows he’s on the verge of appearing on the champ’s radar.

Talbott will face Yanis Ghemmouri as part of the UFC 303 preliminary card this Saturday in Las Vegas. The former Dana White’s Contender Series standout will look to move to 3-0 in his promotional tenure after wins over Nick Aguirre and Cameron Saaiman.

Talbott is one of the most hyped prospects in bantamweight history, and arguably the most hyped since O’Malley’s rise off of DWCS. ‘Suga’ secured the bantamweight title and is now one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport.

Payton Talbott’s talent is undoubtable, and he could be a potential opponent for Sean O’Malley down the line. After a series of brief social media back-and-forths, Talbott is embracing the tensions rising with the bantamweight titleholder.

Payton Talbott foresees future showdown w/ Sean O’Malley

In a recent appearence on The MMA Hour, Talbott was asked about a self-admitted feeling of distant tension with O’Malley.

“Oh yeah, for sure. All of the comparisons and the small amount of banter that we’ve had back-and-forth, and all the fans what they say,” Talbott said. “I see it as my dream matchup, so I’m all for it and I hope when the time comes, we’re fighting for the belt. Whenever it is, I just hope I get to fight him when the time is right and we give the fans what they want.”

Talbott has a long ways to go to enter the bantamweight Top 15, which is one of the most stacked groupings in mixed martial arts. An emphatic performance against Ghemmouri could move him one step closer to a spot in the rankings.

O’Malley is expected to face Merab Dvalishvili later this year in his next bantamweight title defense. He last defended the belt against Marlon Vera in the UFC 299 headliner.

Talbott is a potential dark horse in the UFC bantamweight division, and a future clash with O’Malley could potentially headline a UFC pay-per-view one day. First thing’s first for Talbott as he looks to embrace the spotlight of UFC 303.