Dana White Praises Payton Talbott After UFC 332 Finish

Payton Talbott needed just 2:09 to finish former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 332, and UFC president Dana White made a point of praising the bantamweight prospect afterward.

Talbott, fighting in the co-main event at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, stopped Figueiredo with strikes in the opening round for the biggest win of his career. White's public reaction after the fight signals the UFC brass is taking notice of a 135-pounder who entered the night already considered one of the division's top prospects.

What Did Payton Talbott's Win Over Figueiredo Mean?

Beating a two-time UFC flyweight champion inside two minutes is not a quiet statement, it's a loud one. Figueiredo moved up to bantamweight in late 2023 specifically to test himself against the division's best, and whatever questions remained about where Talbott stood in that conversation got answered in a hurry. A first-round TKO over a fighter with Figueiredo's finishing pedigree, nine knockouts and nine submissions across his career, is the kind of result that forces the UFC's matchmakers to start talking contender, not prospect.

Talbott's path here matters too. He had already rebounded from the lone loss on his record with a win over Felipe Lima and a three-round decision over former two-division champion Henry Cejudo. Stacking a finish of Figueiredo on top of that run gives him three straight wins over the kind of name value that gets a fighter talked about near the top of a stacked 135-pound division.

Betting Angle

The market had this one pegged correctly. Talbott went off as a heavy favorite against Figueiredo, with sportsbooks pricing him anywhere from roughly -550 to -750 depending on the book, reflecting both his recent form and Figueiredo's four losses in his last five fights. Bettors who backed Talbott got paid out fast given the first-round finish, and the result only reinforces why oddsmakers were so confident. Expect Talbott to open as a notable favorite in whatever fight comes next, and expect his stock to keep climbing toward a ranked matchup given the way the UFC's bantamweight contender picture is shaping up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Payton Talbott beat Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 332?

Payton Talbott stopped Deiveson Figueiredo via strikes just 2:09 into the first round of their bantamweight co-main event at UFC 332.

What is Payton Talbott's record after UFC 332?

Payton Talbott improved to 11-1 overall and 5-1 in the UFC with his first-round finish of Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 332.

Was Payton Talbott favored to beat Deiveson Figueiredo?

Yes, sportsbooks installed Payton Talbott as a heavy betting favorite over former UFC champion Deiveson Figueiredo heading into UFC 332.