Sean O’Malley says a decision win will not be enough at UFC Freedom 250. The former bantamweight champion insists he needs to finish Aiemann Zahabi to keep his name in the title conversation, and he is not interested in grinding out points on the scorecards.
“I gotta finish Zahabi [to get a title shot], I can’t go out there and get a boring win,” O’Malley said, framing the matchup as a statement opportunity rather than a routine assignment.
O’Malley made the comments ahead of the bantamweight bout, which is scheduled for June 14, 2026, as part of UFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C. The reporting comes from Home of Fight.
O’Malley expects the fight to stay on the feet, and he warned that Zahabi’s durability could force him to find the finish more than once. He said he may need to “land a knockout shot multiple times” because of how tough his opponent is.
O’Malley Expects a Standing Fight at the White House
The Suga Sean star dismissed the idea that the bout turns into a long wrestling match. “Little to none,” he said when asked how much grappling he expects, adding, “Everyone turns into a grappler at some point when you get hit enough times.”
That framing matches how O’Malley has described Zahabi in recent interviews, painting him as a tough, durable opponent who will get hurt if O’Malley keeps landing clean. Zahabi was not O’Malley’s first choice for the card, which adds extra pressure to the call for a statement finish. O’Malley has been candid that he originally wanted a different fight for UFC Freedom 250.
Zahabi brings a measured resume into the bout. He carries a 14-2 overall record, a 68-inch reach and an orthodox stance, with a six-fight UFC winning streak. He has finished eight of his 14 wins, each one coming in the first round, and he earned a unanimous decision over Jose Aldo at UFC 315 in May 2025. Zahabi has also pushed back on O’Malley’s pre-fight bets.
A Crowded Bantamweight Picture
O’Malley’s finish-or-bust framing carries weight in a stacked division. Cory Sandhagen has already called out O’Malley for the White House card, underscoring how many contenders are circling the bantamweight title.
For O’Malley, the message is simple. He is betting that his timing and volume will create an opening before the scorecards become a factor, and on a historic White House card, that kind of finish would keep his name right where he wants it.
