Aiemann Zahabi looks for Canadian win at White House UFC card

Aiemann Zahabi looks for Canadian win at White House UFC card NEIL DAVIDSON PUBLISHED JUNE 11, 2026 Open this photo in gallery: No. 6 UFC bantamweight and Canadian fighter Aiemann Zahabi took part in the UFC Freedom 250 media day in Washington on Wednesday. CHIP SOMODEVILLA/GETTY IMAGES 5 COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER Listen to this article Learn more about audio Log in or create a free account to listen to this article. Aiemann Zahabi is looking for a Canada win on Sunday at the White House. The 38-year-old bantamweight from Montreal, the lone Canadian on the UFC 250 Freedom card, will take on former champion Sean (Suga) O’Malley on the mixed martial arts card to be held on the White House South Lawn. Zahabi is determined to do Canada proud. “I’ve been telling everybody this is like my thank you letter to Canada,” Zahabi said in an interview. “My parents emigrated here from Lebanon during the civil war. They moved here to give their kids a better life. “Look at me,” he added. “I was born and raised in Canada and now I’m fighting at the White House.” All the rage: How the UFC became America's most important (and misunderstood) political powerhouse The seven-fight card is part of the 250th anniversary celebration of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. It also falls on U.S. President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday. Zahabi and the other fighters will walk out of the Oval Office when it comes time for their bout. “I’m honoured to do so,” he said. “It’s a historic building. People around the world know what the White House is. People are going to be tuning in who have never even watched MMA at all. So I’m excited to get the opportunity to be out in front of all these people.” Being on the White House card has already raised Zahabi’s visibility. He reckons he was interviewed close to daily in the month following the fight announcement. Open this photo in gallery: Zahabi picked up a round one TKO at UFC 289 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver in 2010. JORDAN LEIGH/GETTY IMAGES “I’ve never done so much media,” he said. Zahabi campaigned to have Drake walk out with him. He is sponsored by Drake’s OVO label, thanks to reaching out to a member of the rapper’s security team whom he helped train. There will reportedly be more than 4,000 spectators on site for the White House card, with the Octagon under a giant star-spangled lighting arch. There will also be a UFC Freedom 250 Fan Fest at the nearby Ellipse grounds, a 21-hectare park just south of the…