Sean O’Malley has spoken out on the mandated kits for the UFC’sWhite House fight card, and he has not minced his words.
On 14 June, O’Malley will be one of 14 fighters competing on the South Lawn, as the UFC helps to celebrate 250 years of the United States.
The unprecedented event has come together in part due to the longstanding friendship between US president Donald Trump, who turns 80 on 14 June, and UFC chief Dana White.
Details around the event have emerged gradually over the last year, and this week brought the reveal of the fight kits, which O’Malley will seemingly wear reluctantly when he faces Aiemann Zahabi.
“I don’t even know if I’m supposed to say [this],” the former bantamweight champion started on his podcast. “They’re ugly, mine were ugly. I don’t like them.
“They’re not pink, which is fine – whatever, I’ve worn other colours,” continued “Sugar Sean”, who is known for his flamboyant looks. “I’m not going to not show up because my shorts aren’t pink. I’ll make my f***ing hair pink or whatever.
“But I’m just like: did they go on Fiverr and say, ‘Hey, we got these guys getting into a fight on the White House lawn, can you just come up with something?’ I’m like… When I was wearing them… They’re white, which is whatever. I love white, Dana White […] I just didn’t love them.”
Seemingly backtracking somewhat, the American continued: “I will say, I like the white because I do truly believe I’m going to crack Aiemann […] I’m excited for my white shorts to be red. I’m going to see how red I can get my white shorts from his blood. But overall, didn’t f***ing love them.”
Elaborating on his expectations for the fight against Zahabi, O’Malley said: “I’m going to bloody his nose. I think I’m going to hit him a lot. I think he’s going to be very tough, I think he’s going to be very durable, [but] I think I’m going to beat the f*** out of him – kind of like Kris Moutinho-esque.”
O’Malley was referencing a 2021 fight in which he stopped Moutinho in the final 30 seconds, having beating him up for the best part of three rounds.
O’Malley, now 31, went on to win the bantamweight title in 2023 by knocking out Aljamain Sterling in the second round. He recorded one successful title defence with a clinic against Marlon Vera in 2024, before losing the belt later that year. The American was dethroned by Georgia’s Merab Dvalishvili, who won the title on points before submitting O’Malley in a rematch last June.
O’Malley bounced back in January with a narrow points win over Song Yadong, and it is widely believed that he could challenge for the title next if he beats Zahabi; the belt is currently in the possession of Petr Yan, whom O’Malley controversially outpointed in 2022.
O’Malley is ranked second at 135lb at the time of writing, while Zahabi is No 6 in the division. Although he is already 38, the Canadian is a rising contender, and he will take to the South Lawn on the back of wins over Vera and the legendary Jose Aldo.
The White House event, named “UFC Freedom 250”, will be headlined by Ilia Topuria’s title defence against Justin Gaethje, who holds the interim lightweight belt.
The co-main event pits Alex Pereira against Ciryl Gane, with the interim heavyweight title on the line, while the rest of the card reads as such: Derrick Lewis vs Josh Hokit (heavyweight); Mauricio Ruffy vs Michael Chandler (lightweight); Bo Nickal vs Kyle Daukaus (middleweight); and Diego Lopes vs Steve Garcia (featherweight).
Hokit vs Lewis was added at Mr Trump’s request, after he saw Hokit beat Curtis Blaydes in an instant classic in April. The US president was ringside in Miami as Hokit won that fight, and the heavyweight was paired with Lewis – one of Mr Trump’s favourite fighters – before the night was up.
At last week’s launch press conference for UFC Freedom 250, Hokit was removed by security after an altercation with Topuria.
