Dana White has pushed back on the idea that Sean O'Malley's UFC White House fight against Aiemann Zahabi carries a guaranteed title shot for the winner.
Zahabi made headlines when he described the June 14 matchup as a title eliminator, claiming the UFC had confirmed as much ahead of the event. White dismissed that framing at his post-fight press conference following UFC Winnipeg on April 18.
"These guys are put in these positions with great opportunities. Let's see what the fight looks like," White said. "Let's see how they perform. Just to throw out there, 'Whoever wins is gonna get it,' that's not really what happens here. Perform, let's see how you look, and then we'll make that decision."
The bantamweight title picture is complicated heading into the summer. Merab Dvalishvili has claimed the UFC assured him his next fight will be a trilogy with Petr Yan, who ended Dvalishvili's championship reign in December 2025. Umar Nurmagomedov is also positioning himself as a contender, having defeated Mario Bautista and Deiveson Figueiredo in his recent run.
O'Malley last held the bantamweight championship before losing it to Dvalishvili at Noche UFC 306 in September 2024. A win over Zahabi at the White House would rebuild momentum, but White's comments make clear the path back to the title is not as direct as Zahabi suggested.
UFC Freedom 250 takes place June 14 on the White House lawn in Washington D.C.
