One of the greatest spectacles in mixed martial arts and sporting history is officially right around the corner.
UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday will be a card unlike anything fight fans have seen before, featuring seven fights, loads of star power and plenty of opportunities to impress the masses — all taking place from the South Lawn of the White House.
And although only two titles will be on the line, there will be many division-shifting outcomes in the bouts leading up to the main and co-main events, even if belts won't be up for grabs.
One of the featured bouts is Canada's Aiemann Zahabi taking on former bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley in a contest that could have plenty to say about who challenges for the men's 135-pound championship next.
Two confident strikers who often approaching their opponents differently. Zahabi is patient and methodical, and O'Malley elusive and unpredictable. Yet both equally have plenty to prove on Sunday with one still fighting to reach the mountain top for the first time while the other is looking for his way back to the title.
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AIEMANN ZAHABI
Nickname: N/A
Fighting out of: Montreal
Age: 38 | Height: five-foot-eight | Weight: 135 pounds
Arm reach: 68.5 inches | Leg reach: 38 inches
Stance: Orthodox
Background/style: Striking/Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Team/gym: Tristar Gym
MMA record: 14-2 | UFC record: 8-2
Average fight time: 12:07
Notable accomplishments/credentials: No. 6-ranked bantamweight contender; seven-fight win streak; longtime training partner of Georges St-Pierre; wins over former featherweight champion Jose Aldo and bantamweight title challenger Marlon Vera.
Biggest strength/best technique: If there's a fighter well suited to counter O'Malley's striking proficiency, it's Zahabi. The 38-year-old has built a reputation as one of the division's best defensive fighters, rarely eating the type of shots that could end a bout early. He has only been stopped once in 14 years as a pro. Zahabi boasts a 70.3 per cent significant-strike defence that ranks first among active bantamweights, which he'll need to maintain on Sunday against O'Malley, who's one of the top strikers by volume and accuracy among the 135-pound ranks.
Key to victory: Zahabi is as measured as they come when fists are flying his way, and keeping that composure against O'Malley, who thrives at creating chaos, could determine the fight. If he can demonstrate his elite distance management — while facing a height and reach disadvantage — and avoid being baited into a reckless position, it could goad the more fluid O'Malley into taking greater risks and create counter opportunities. At the very least, prolonging the bout should allow Zahabi's cardio to become a growing factor.
Signature win/moment: Taking on one of the most revered mixed martial artists of all time is enough pressure on its own, but to do it on home soil and after Jose Aldo showed up eight pounds overweight at UFC 315 last year was another level. Zahabi went toe-to-toe with the Brazilian legend in Montreal, trading blows for a full 15 minutes before getting his hand raised. And even after getting rocked by a knee and headkick in the third round, Zahabi bounced back, ending the fight on top of Aldo while punishing the former champ with a flurry of elbows as the Bell Centre erupted.
What a win would mean: A victory over O'Malley would springboard Zahabi into the title challenger conversation that's been dominated by the same names for nearly half a decade. Taking down a former champ still in his prime would leave little reason to deny the Canadian an opportunity to compete for the belt.
Watch UFC Freedom 250 on Sportsnet+
The UFC heads to the White House lawn for a night of fights in what promises to be one of the most unique sporting events in history. Watch UFC Freedom 250 on Sunday, June 14 with the seven-fight pay-per-view card available on Sportsnet+ starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT.
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SEAN O'MALLEY
Nickname: Suga
Fighting out of: Peoria, Arizona.
Age: 31 | Height: five-foot-11 | Weight: 135 pounds
Arm reach: 72 inches | Leg reach: 40 inches
Stance: Switch
Background/style: Striking
Team/gym: Red Hawk Academy
MMA record: 19-3 | UFC record: 11-3 (1 NC)
Average fight time: 11:32
Notable accomplishments/credentials: Former undisputed bantamweight contender; current No. 3-ranked contender; 12 knockout wins and nine first-round finishes; title fight wins over Aljamain Sterling and Marlon Vera nine UFC performance bonuses. O'Malley's title reign ended after back-to-back losses to Merab Dvalishvili (the first of which took place at the Sphere, the most recent UFC event with a unique location and venue), but returned to the win column in January with a unanimous decision over No. 5-ranked Song Yadong.
Biggest strength/best technique: It's no secret that O'Malley's power lies in his fists and his pinpoint precision. The 31-year-old tops all active bantamweights with his 60.8 per cent significant strike accuracy, but it's not just that he lands his punches. He also makes sure to be the one throwing more of them — second in strikes landed per minute (6.04) and in striking differential rate (2.71). When it comes to striking exchanges involving O'Malley, it's often one-way traffic.
Key to victory: With each passing fight, Zahabi has committed more and more to his stand-up game, and he has made it clear that if he beats O'Malley, he wants to do it with his fists. But in doing so, Zahabi may have exposed a weakness. His habit of keeping a high guard in striking exchanges often leaves his body exposed, an opening that both of his last two opponents have taken advantage of to set up big shots.
Although neither Vera nor Aldo could get the job done, O'Malley certainly has the power and counter-punching pedigree to seal the deal. However, that's if the former champ believes what Zahabi is selling in the lead-up to the fight. Otherwise, he may have to prepare for yet another grappling affair and ensure his defence is on point.
Signature win/moment: It took O'Malley less than six minutes to dethrone Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight belt in 2023. "Funk Master" had won nine in a row and held onto the title for over two years with three successful defences. O'Malley's victory over Sterling was about as true to O'Malley's style as it gets. Ever the risk-taker, "Suga" dropped his guard early in Round 2, baited Sterling into engaging/rushing and angled himself perfectly to land a thundering counter-right before ending the fight with a flurry of hammer fists. A TKO that not only earned O'Malley another Performance of the Night bonus, but also served as his "welcome to superstardom" moment as decreed by Jon Anik.
What a win would mean: For starters, it would quell much of Zahabi's momentum as next in line for a title shot, eliminating another contender (for the time being) on O'Malley's way back to the top. Meanwhile, current title holder Petr Yan and former champ Dvalishvili are presumably running it back later in 2026, but after that, O'Malley would be deserving of another crack at the belt as any other. He does hold a memorable 2022 split decision win over Yan, which could also help his cause.
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