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An up-and-coming UFC fighter said he is willing to take a fight against internet star Andrew Tate.

Payton Talbott is an undefeated bantamweight in the UFC with a 7-0 record, winning his first three UFC fights.

Tate is a former kickboxer turned influencer, known for his controversial takes on gender roles, while also being a target for censorship on social media platforms.

‘He’s just, like, the antithesis of me.’

On a recent episode of “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Talbott was asked by the host if he would consider a fight against Tate after his next bout at UFC 311 in January.

“And after [your next fight], perhaps Andrew Tate,” Helwani suggested.

“Yeah,” Talbott replied.

“That’s the one you want … you want that?” the host continued.

“I’d take that,” Talbott confirmed.

Helwani then simply asked, “Why do you hate Tate so much?”

Talbott referred to Tate as his “antithesis” before he claimed he is bad for men in general.

“Man. He’s just, like, the antithesis of me. … It just seems like somebody cheated on him when he was younger and now he has this vendetta against women. I feel like he takes himself super seriously, and it’s just, like, he’s kind of a poison for masculine culture,” Talbott explained.

Helwani remarked that he thought many would agree with Talbott and that it would be a “great matchup.”

Talbott also recently remarked on X, “I hate this guy,” in response to a post by Tate that said women aren’t “loyal” and don’t “listen.”

Talbott has made public remarks on gender before, particularly in July 2024, when he was mocked online for posting videos showing himself pole-dancing.

Talbott was also speaking to Helwani when he told the host he didn’t really like a lot of the MMA fans. He then attributed criticism from fans to people wanting to “box” others into “their own parameters that they’re used to.”

“They come up with a word that they feel they can box them into. I think it’s really hard for MMA fans to put me in a box, and I hope so. I hope I’m very hard to box in,” he continued.

“A lot of times that’s, like, gay. Like, ‘He’s a gay dude,’ or ‘he’s zesty,’ or he’s this or he’s that,” Talbott added. “I just think people have a really hard time characterizing me into this identity of a fighter. Hopefully, maybe someday that changes what the expectations are of a fighter; we’re not just mules that go out there and beat the s*** out of each other, we’re actually people with hobbies.”

The 26-year-old later revealed that his mother and his sister taught him pole fitness and noted that while they consider themselves fitness instructors, there was no need to “devalue” strippers for using poles, either.

As for a possible fight with Tate, it seems highly unlikely given that Talbott fights at 135 pounds and the lightest Tate has fought at is 179 pounds.

Tate last fought in a kickboxing match in 2020, winning in the second round. That was his first professional fight since a 2012 loss. He amassed a record of 3-1 in kickboxing.

In MMA, Tate is just 1-0, with an additional two amateur bouts.

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