Andrew Ravens
Sean O’Malley knocked out Aiemann Zahabi at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House to make it back-to-back wins in 2026, but he left Washington with a financial grievance and a clear message for the UFC about what it will take to get him back in the cage. Speaking with Megan Olivi in a Paramount interview following the event, O’Malley laid out his position on his next fight in straightforward terms.
“Honestly, it comes down to pay,” he said. “I’m not gonna — I think that’s kind of what it comes down to. If I’m gonna get paid championship money to fight a championship-level guy next, I’ll do it. If not, I want the championship money. I want that back.”
The 31-year-old entered 2026 outside the bantamweight title picture following consecutive losses to Merab Dvalishvili. Petr Yan’s victory over Dvalishvili last December opened a potential path back toward a title shot, and O’Malley has moved quickly to take advantage of that opening, winning his fight against Song Yadong in January before the Zahabi knockout. Two wins in six months have repositioned him as a credible contender, and he is chasing a rematch with Yan to continue that trajectory — but only at the right price.
His frustration with the UFC’s financial decisions extended to the night itself. O’Malley did not receive a Performance of the Night bonus despite his walk-off knockout of Zahabi, which ended the latter’s seven-fight winning streak. With POTN bonuses boosted to $425,000 for the White House event, missing out on one stung. Justin Gaethje and Gane received the Performance of the Night awards for their headlining title wins, while the Fight of the Night bonus also went to Gaethje for his four-round war with Ilia Topuria.
O’Malley’s position is now clear. He is not interested in fighting for less than what he considers appropriate compensation for his profile and the fights he is willing to take. Whether the UFC meets that demand or the two sides reach an impasse heading into the second half of 2026 remains to be seen.
