Think fortune and glory won’t make Payton Talbott change a bit? Think again

March 22, 2024 8:45 pm ET

LAS VEGAS – Is fortune and glory going to change Payton Talbott?

The diplomatic answer for the 25-year-old bantamweight, of course, is to say he’ll stay the same. After all, that’s how it’s been so far.

“Not too much (has changed since I got into the UFC),” Talbott said at Wednesday’s media day for UFC on ESPN 53 (ESPN/ESPN+). “I feel like I prioritize my career more. I’ve definitely put a lot more time into that, as well as expression of what I want to put out on the internet and everything. But everything else has pretty much been the same.

“It was after my first (UFC) win is when there’s just been more people that notice me.”

Talbott (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) on Saturday meets Cameron Saaiman (9-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) on the UFC on ESPN 53 main card at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. He’ll be looking to stay unbeaten against what arguably will be his toughest opponent yet, at least on paper.

For Talbott, a win like that will keep him on a path toward prospect status, and then he can start thinking about what will happen if he becomes a star.

Honesty is a great thing.

“I mean, the money is going to change me. Like – I’ll just tell you right now,” Talbott said. “But I’ll still be myself and I’ll have my core values and try to compete as much as possible. I’m not worried about it. I don’t think I’m going to change into a terrible person.”

Check out Talbott’s full media day interview in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 53.

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