Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight strikers Sean O’Malley vs. Aiemann Zahabi will duel this weekend (Sun., June 14, 2026) on the White House South Lawn from Washington, D.C., for UFC Freedom 250.
O’Malley’s title dreams were momentarily dashed last year with a second-straight loss to Merab Dvalishvili (watch highlights) … and then Petr Yan broke “The Machine!” Given O’Malley’s controversial victory over Yan, he’s right back in the title mix, particularly since “Suga” already rebounded versus Song Yadong back in January. Zahabi isn’t exactly a huge name, but defeating the Canadian slugger could still be just enough push to score O’Malley another title shot.
As for Zahabi, how long can this miracle run continue? The 38-year-old started his UFC run with an uninspired 1-2 stretch, setting expectations low. Out of nowhere, Zahabi has put together a strong seven-fight win streak, pulling through as an underdog multiple times in that span to continue climbing the ladder. This is a significant step up against a former champion still in his prime, but how could Zahabi be denied with one more win?
Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete:
O’Malley vs. Zahabi Betting Odds
- Sean O’Malley victory: -460
- Sean O’Malley via TKO/KO/DQ: +110
- Sean O’Malley via submission: +200
- Sean O’Malley via decision: +1600
- Aiemann Zahabi victory: +320
- Aiemann Zahabi via TKO/KO/DQ: +1400
- Aiemann Zahabi via submission: +2500
- Aiemann Zahabi via decision: +50o
- Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
O’Malley is one of the sharpest ranger strikers at 135 pounds. Using his jab and front kicks to harry his opponents, O’Malley looks to bait his opponent into walking into a picture-perfect counter punch — ask Aljamain Sterling! If his opponent is unwilling to open up, O’Malley can also build volume better than most rangy kickboxers.
Volume and range are the keys to winning this fight. Zahabi is a frustratingly consistent fighter, hard to throw off or deter. He’s going to keep inching forward, creating exchanges, and take advantage of any little opportunity. We have seen O’Malley start slow or otherwise take off rounds before, which could really come back to bite him in a 15-minute fight.
Consistent output is vital for the former champion.
Fortunately, he shouldn’t have too much trouble opening up. Not only is O’Malley significantly longer, but he’s much quicker to boot. Given his larger arsenal of kicks, O’Malley should be able to pop jabs, kick often, and line up counter shots without any real obstacles. Zahabi is hard to hit clean, but “Suga” can still get damage through the guard by mixing up his targets and throwing in combination.
Zahabi is a crafty boxer with a rare level of comfort in the pocket. Perhaps his most standout attribute is actually his defense, which is uncommon even among elite UFC fighters. Zahabi does great work in getting behind his elbows and shoulders in exchanges, presenting unpleasant targets for his opponents and remaining in position to throw back.
Intelligence and grit have also become trademarks of these Zahabi upset wins, and both traits will be tested here. Zahabi is not going to win a clean and technical kickboxing match with the taller, younger and faster man. He’s going to have to pressure and take some shots, trusting in his defense and chin that he’ll be able to fire back and catch O’Malley out of position. Ideally, he’ll at least threaten some takedowns to keep O’Malley honest. If he could catch a kick and deter O’Malley from kicking so often, that would be a huge boon.
The single most important detail here is that Zahabi cannot wait on O’Malley, as trying to react to the quicker man almost never works well. Instead, Zahabi has to initiate exchanges and expect the counter. Countering the counter is Zahabi’s best shot at actually landing clean punches, because O’Malley will have his feet momentarily planted.
In short, attacking first and third is the name of the game for a Zahabi upset.
O’Malley vs. Zahabi Prediction
Although I’ve admittedly picked against him numerous times on his current streak, I struggle to see a path to victory for Zahabi here. Can a bit of craftiness overcome all the physical advantages stacked against him? It’s not like O’Malley is some meat-and-potatoes puncher relying solely on athleticism — he’s really tricky, too. Furthermore, Zahabi hasn’t landed a single takedown in his current win streak, and at least some wrestling threat feels like a necessity to win this fight. Zahabi has scratched and clawed his way to a quality win streak, but he’s yet to face an elite contender in his prime.
This feels like the moment where he meets his ceiling.
Prediction: O’Malley via decision
