Bantamweight contender Payton Talbott has quickly become one of Dana White‘s standout additions to the promotion. After earning his spot on DWCS in 2023, the 26-year-old. While Talbott’s in-ring performance has turned heads, it’s his trash talk off the canvas that has captured attention. Earlier this year, Talbott made waves with his outspoken remarks, particularly after calling out kickboxer-turned-social media influencer Andrew Tate, who has garnered controversy for his misogynistic views.

The American referred to Tate as “poison for masculine culture,” a statement that earned him widespread support, particularly from female followers who appreciated his stance against misogyny. As his popularity continues to rise, fans are also curious about the personal life of the well-built, 26-year-old bachelor. Is he single? Let’s take a closer look at Payton Talbott’s life.

Is Payton Talbott dating Frank Ocean? Rumors, clips, and what he has said

More than his performances inside the cage, Payton Talbott often makes headlines for his dating life. Things took a turn when the rising bantamweight star grabbed fans’ attention by spending time with American Grammy-winning artist Frank Ocean, creating a buzz in both Hollywood and the MMA world.

Before this, the duo had already appeared on each other’s social media multiple times, and Frank Ocean even attended UFC 311 earlier this year. Talbot lost that fight, but Ocean still sent him a message of support. Then, at UFC 317, Talbot bounced back with a victory.

Ahead of that fight, Talbot addressed the rumors surrounding his relationship with Frank Ocean: “[Frank Ocean] just reached out to me after my fight a year ago on International Fight Week, and we just kinda kept contact. We hung out a couple times, and we just had a lot of appreciation for each other and our respective careers,” he told Ariel Helwani.

Ocean does not follow fighting, which especially surprised the fans. Over time, however, the pair developed a friendship. Talbot reflected, “The universe just connects people and has a weird way with the strings.”

Payton Talbott’s past links with Adia Bangochea and online dating shows

Payton Talbott may be open about his mindset, but when it comes to his relationship status, he remains noticeably private. Eager to uncover more for our audience, we took a closer look at the bantamweight’s social media presence. At first glance, his passion for skateboarding and modeling is clear, and he has even dabbled in short films, sharing clips of his work on Instagram.

Upon digging deeper into 2023, we stumbled upon photos from a road trip taken just before his UFC Fight Night appearance in November of that year. Talbott posted a series of images featuring a woman named Adia Bangochea, accompanied by the caption: “The sunset soul completes her trip around the sun yet again. Pure of heart and a sponge for experience.”

The photos conveyed a romantic tone, with one showing the American holding her closely by the shoulder, suggesting they were a couple, despite never officially confirming it. However, after this post, Talbott has not shared any more pictures with Adia Bangochea, fueling speculation among fans that the relationship may have ended or is now private.

What Payton Talbott has revealed about being single and his ideal partner

Two months ago, Payton Talbott appeared on the Full Violence MMA YouTube channel’s dating-style show, where he went on a blind date with six women. The contestants introduced themselves and revealed what they were looking for in a partner, while Payton made his selections based entirely on their responses, without seeing them in person.

In the second episode, while on a date with one of the women he selected, Payton candidly shared that he was “single.” As the show continued, he eventually chose his finalist from the remaining women. However, despite narrowing down his options, Payton later admitted on the Ariel Helwani show that he did not find his true love through the ‘Full Violence’ show.

Later in the summer, Payton made it even clearer that he doesn’t appreciate anyone poking around in his personal life. “Who I’m trying to have sex with is none of your business, unless I’m trying to have sex with you,” Payton Talbott said.

With his private life firmly shut to the public, the focus now shifts entirely to his performance at UFC 323. Fans will be watching closely to see how he shows up on fight night.