Rising UFC bantamweight Payton Talbott says his feud with streamer Adin Ross is very real, claiming Ross has now put a “bounty” on him following their bizarre exchange online.
Talbott is coming off a breakout performance at UFC 323, where he dominated former dual-weight champion Henry Cejudo in the biggest win of his career. But away from the cage, he’s been locked in a heated back-and-forth with Ross after rejecting an invite to appear on one of the streamer’s live shows — responding instead with an explicit photo.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani after his win, Talbott didn’t back down.
“It’s legit,” he said. “He put a bounty on my head… and said he was going to sue me. I’m sure he was joking, but that’s kind of my point.”
Talbott criticised online streaming culture, saying Ross only stirs drama to stay relevant.
“He has no ability to do anything to me, so he offers money to someone else for a viral moment,” he continued. “I don’t hate those people, I just don’t want to be part of it.”
The feud first erupted when Ross invited Talbott to appear on stream, only to receive — as Talbott openly admitted — a picture of his testicles with a message declining the offer. Ross initially responded with humour and wished him luck, but relations clearly deteriorated as the rivalry gained attention.
Whether the conflict remains online banter or spills further into the fight world remains to be seen — but for now, Talbott’s focus appears to remain inside the octagon, where his stock is rising fast.
