Payton Talbott Explains Broken-Foot Excuses Before UFC 331

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Payton Talbott says a string of opponents, including a planned bout with Sean O'Malley, all pulled out with the same excuse before he finally landed his UFC 331 fight against Deiveson Figueiredo this Saturday, Oct. 3, in Salt Lake City.

Talbott hasn't fought since dominating Henry Cejudo last December in the former two-division champion's retirement bout, a performance that included Talbott's signature inside trip against the Olympic wrestler. That win pushed his UFC record to five wins in six Octagon appearances and made him one of the sport's hottest 135-pound prospects. Getting back in the cage proved to be the hard part.

In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Talbott said he was lined up to fight Sean O'Malley, among other names, only for the matchup to fall apart before it could be finalized. He described being told, fight after fight, that his opponent had suffered a broken foot. "I was like, 'Dude, what's up with everybody's feet?'" Talbott said. "It must be something in the water."

Why Talbott Thinks the Excuses Don't Add Up

Talbott made clear he doesn't buy the injury explanations at face value. He pointed out that fighters who supposedly broke their feet before facing him kept turning up booked against other opponents soon after. "It's funny, because the same names that said their feet were broken are suddenly getting booked," Talbott said, adding he wasn't sure whether to blame matchmaking or fighters avoiding him.

Whatever the cause, the end result was nearly a full year on the sidelines for a fighter who had been publicly campaigning for his next fight since beating Cejudo.

What's at Stake Against Figueiredo

Talbott finally gets that fight back this weekend against Deiveson Figueiredo, a former UFC flyweight champion who has struggled since moving up to bantamweight. At 28, Talbott has a real chance to crack the bantamweight top 10 with a win over a name-brand former titleholder, exactly the kind of resume-building opportunity his layoff had denied him. A statement finish would make it much harder for the division's bigger names to keep dodging him, intentionally or not.

Betting Angle

Sportsbooks have installed Talbott as a heavy favorite, with DraftKings pricing him around -550 to Figueiredo's +410. That number reflects Talbott's speed, output and finishing instincts against a 37-year-old former champion who has looked worn down in recent bouts. For bettors, the line leaves little value on the moneyline itself; the more interesting markets are likely to be method of victory and round props, given Talbott's history of pressuring opponents into mistakes early. A slow start after such a long layoff is the one live variable that could keep this from being a lopsided mismatch on paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Payton Talbott fighting at UFC 331?

Payton Talbott is fighting former UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 331 on Saturday, Oct. 3, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Why didn't Payton Talbott fight Sean O'Malley?

Payton Talbott said he was lined up to fight Sean O'Malley, but the matchup fell through after he was told O'Malley had a broken foot, one of several similar excuses he says derailed potential bookings over the past year.