Overview
- Talbott defeated former champion Deiveson Figueiredo by TKO at 2:09 of the first round in Salt Lake City on Oct. 3, handing Figueiredo a quick stoppage after a right hand and follow-up strikes forced referee Jason Herzog to intervene.
- Talbott used his Oct. 3 Octagon interview to call out ex-champion Sean O’Malley, and O’Malley answered on social media by posting a screenshot of his recent opponents and saying he was not avoiding anyone.
- UFC president Dana White and analyst Daniel Cormier praised Talbott’s performance and said the result strengthens his case as a rising title contender.
- At least one top-10 bantamweight, Farid Basharat, publicly downplayed the win as an 'easy layup' because both Figueiredo and Henry Cejudo arrived at their fights out of form, creating a split in how peers evaluate Talbott’s resume.
- Talbott’s next booking is unresolved and likely to hinge on rankings and the outcome of the Oct. 24 Petr Yan vs. Merab Dvalishvili trilogy, with a win over Yan or Dvalishvili reshaping who is available for a matchup with Talbott.