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UFC 303 News: Watch Payton Talbott Roast Champ Sean O'Malley & Top Bantamweights

The rising star took a few shots at his fellow bantamweights during a name association game before UFC 303.

Drew Beaupre

(Zuffa LLC)

Unbeaten Payton Talbott was happy to torch UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley and the rest of the division’s top contenders during a name association game ahead of UFC 303.

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Talbott Brands O'Malley a "Pretty Boy"

Still just 25 years old, Talbott earned a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last year and has already extended his unbeaten record to 8-0 after scoring back-to-back finishes in his first two UFC bouts.

The Reno, NV native still has a long way to go if he wants to challenge for the UFC bantamweight title at some point, but that didn’t stop him from roasting O’Malley, Merab Dvalishvili, and a number of the division’s biggest names during fight week for UFC 303.

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Even the name of UFC Hall of Famer José Aldo was met with a response of “Mr. Potato Head” from Talbott, although he appeared to feel quite a bit more confident about calling O’Malley a “pretty boy” and Dvalishvili “dumber than a box of rocks”.

It does seem as if Dana White and the UFC brass have already tabbed Talbott as a potential star, and the hype around the young bantamweight is growing so rapidly that Aaron Bronsteter notes he could close as the biggest betting favorite in UFC history this weekend when he faces Yanis Ghemmouri.

The bantamweight tilt between Talbott and Ghemmouri will take place on the prelims of UFC 303 in Las Vegas, NV, and the event’s revamped main card features a headlining light heavyweight title rematch between Alex Pereira and Jiří Procházka after Conor McGregor was forced to withdraw from his matchup with Michael Chandler.

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Drew Beaupre

DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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