UFC bantamweight contender Aiemann Zahabi explained how his upcoming fight against Sean O’Malley at UFC Freedom 250 came together.
Zahabi, the No. 6-ranked UFC bantamweight, takes on O’Malley, the No. 3-ranked bantamweight, in a potential No. 1 contender’s bout at 135 lbs. It’s a massive matchup that is being given the featured fight treatment at UFC Freedom 250, which takes place on June 14 at the White House in Washington, D.C.
Aiemann Zahabi Explains How He Landed Sean O’Malley as an Opponent
Speaking to Megan Olivi of Paramount+ ahead of UFC Freedom 250, Zahabi explained how he landed this huge fight against O’Malley on the biggest UFC card of the year.
“I didn’t really ask to be on the White House card. I asked to fight Sean O’Malley after I beat Marlon Vera, and they reached out to me. Hunter (Campbell) called my brother (Tristar Gym head coach Firas Zahabi) and said, ‘How do you think the fight with Sean O’Malley would go?’ And my brother told him, ‘It’d be fireworks, it’d be a lot of action, both strikers.’ And he said, ‘Okay, would you want to do it at the White House?’ And we’re like, ‘Yeah, let’s do it at the White House. It’s an even bigger opportunity, get more eyes on it, it’s going to be even nicer,'” Zahabi said.
This is the biggest fight of Zahabi’s career, as he takes on the former UFC bantamweight champion O’Malley on one of the most historic MMA cards of all time. Should the French Canadian get his hand raised, he could be in line to fight UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan for the belt. With so much on the line, expect him to do everything in his power to get the win, though it won’t be easy, as Zahabi is a big underdog, according to the betting odds.
Aiemann Zahabi vs. Sean O’Malley Betting Odds
The latest betting odds see O’Malley as a -400 favorite, with Zahabi as a +330 underdog. Given that Zahabi is 38 years old and O’Malley is only 31, you can see why the oddsmakers and the betting public are higher on “Suga” to win this fight.
But Zahabi is on a roll right now, having won seven straight fights, including a notable victory over former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Though he may be one of the oldest fighters currently competing in the UFC bantamweight division, he is still one of the hottest fighters in the weight class, and you cannot count him out of pulling off a major upset in this fight.
That being said, O’Malley is the former champ, and he has fought a higher level of competition during his UFC career. Plus, he has more knockout power, so if this fight stays standing, he’s the more likely of the two fighters to land the finishing blow.
But Zahabi is a fantastic striker in his own right, and he should have the advantage if this fight hits the ground too. So while the betting odds might be counting him out, it would be a mistake if you think this is going to be an easy fight for O’Malley, as it should be very competitive.
Aiemann Zahabi Explains How Sean O’Malley Fight Came Together