Last Updated on March 17, 2026 by Pragjyoti Singh
Sean O’Malley is scheduled to face 6th-ranked bantamweight Aiemann Zahabi at the upcoming White House event on June 14. Although O’Malley has promised to put on a memorable performance, he also shared some of his disappointment while speaking to Michael Bisping and Paul Felder.
UFC Freedom 250 has gained a lot of attention, but fans have been vocal in their criticism of the matchmaking. Many feel let down that major fights like Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria or the return of Jon Jones were left off the card. Despite the backlash, the one-off event features a stacked lineup. Headlined by Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane, the card includes stars like Topuria and Justin Gaethje.
Sean O’Malley names the fighter he wanted at the White House
While speaking on the Michael Bisping Podcast, O’Malley promised to put on a “memorable performance” against Zahabi, but he didn’t hide his frustration over missing out on the bigger fight he wanted.
“I’m going to go out there and this is a fight for me to put on a memorable performance and, you know, that’s what they want at events like this,” O’Malley said.
The former champion, who lost his belt to Merab Dvalishvili in 2024, admitted he was actually aiming for a rematch with current titleholder Petr Yan. O’Malley previously defeated Yan in a close and controversial decision that many fans and experts still believe Yan should have won.
“I want to fight him… at the White House, Sugar vs. Peter, America vs. Thailand, come on now, that would have been huge,” said O’Malley.
“Petr Yan has something that I want,” O’Malley stated back in January after beating Song Yadong at UFC 324. While he accepted that Merab Dvalishvili might deserve a rematch first—following Merab’s loss to Yan at UFC 323—O’Malley made it clear he was ready to face Yan the moment the opportunity arrived.
“All respect to Merab. If he gets the next shot, it’s well deserved. But Petr Yan, you want that rematch, I want that belt. Let’s make it happen. Go out there and take care of Merab if that’s what’s next; if not, let’s run it, baby,” he stated during the UFC 324 press conference.
Sean O’Malley reacts to Ronda Rousey and UFC beef
O’Malley might be disappointed with the Zahabi matchup, but he knows exactly where his loyalties lie when it comes to the ongoing drama between the UFC and stars like Ronda Rousey and Jon Jones.
Rousey, who seems to be on warpath with the promotion, recently fired shots at Hunter Campbell in a X post after the announcement of Nate Diaz vs. Mike Perry for the Netflix card on May 16, 2026.
While speaking on his podcast, O’Malley admitted he was surprised by how stars like Rousey, Jones, and even Conor McGregor have handled their disagreements with the UFC.
“It’s crazy to see all these top guys have an issue with the UFC, Ronda is obviously not in the UFC anymore but talking sh-t about it…Conor, the biggest star of all time having issues with the UFC, Jon Jones, the GOAT, having issues with the UFC, it’s crazy,” O’Malley said.
He pointed out that these fighters only became major stars because of the platform the UFC provided. He questioned where they would be without the promotion, noting that while they might have been successful elsewhere, they likely wouldn’t have made the same amount of money.
“Who would Conor, Jones and Ronda be without the UFC? Could they have been successful in other ventures? Yes. Could they have made as much money? Probably not. It’s weird, if they feel like they’re being treated unfairly, speak up,” he added. “You’ve got to be grateful for what you’ve gotten from the UFC.”
Ultimately, for O’Malley, it makes perfect sense not to go against the promotion, unlike Rousey and Jones, considering he is still aiming for a shot at the title held by Petr Yan.
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