O'Malley vs Zahabi — Bantamweight · UFC Freedom 250
Scheduled · 14 Jun 2026
Tale of the Tape
- 19-3-0
- Record
- 14-2-0
- 3-2 last 5
- Recent form
- 5-0 last 5
- 31
- Age
- 38
- 1.80 m
- Height
- 1.73 m
- 183 cm
- Reach
- 174 cm
- Switch
- Stance
- Orthodox
- 68%
- Finish rate
- 57%
- 12
- Wins by KO/TKO
- 6
- 1
- Wins by submission
- 2
- 6.05
- Sig. strikes landed / min
- 4.54
- 3.40
- Sig. strikes absorbed / min
- 4.08
- 60%
- Striking defense
- 69%
- 61%
- Takedown defense
- 84%
- 11:32
- Avg. fight time
- 12:07
- Bantamweight
- Weight class
- Bantamweight
- USA
- Nationality
- Canada
- The MMA Lab · Glendale, Arizona
- Team
- Tristar Gym · Montreal
Career stats per UFC.com; recent form is each fighter's last five bouts. Numbers reflect records coming into fight night.
How the Fight Plays Out
Case for O'Malley
Length, speed and one of the most accurate, creative striking games at 135 lb. At his best, O'Malley picks opponents apart from range and drops them with a whip-fast right hand. He's a former champion with the highest ceiling in this fight, and a hungry, prove-the-doubters version of him after losing his belt is a dangerous one.
Case for Zahabi
Riding the best run of his career — a seven-fight win streak built on disciplined, well-schooled Tristar technique and steadily improving power. Zahabi is patient, defensively sound and rarely out of position, and he arrives with nothing to lose against a former champ. The longer he keeps it competitive, the more the pressure sits on O'Malley.
What to Watch
- O'Malley is coming off two losses to Merab Dvalishvili — are the timing and the confidence still there?
- Zahabi's biggest test by a distance: does the moment, and O'Malley's speed, expose a gap in levels — or has he closed it?
- A range war — O'Malley's reach and footwork against Zahabi's composure in the pocket.
- Can Zahabi's seven-fight momentum carry against the sharpest striker he's shared a cage with?
What the Experts Are Saying
Independent MMA analysts on this fight — who they pick, how, and the exact moment they say it. Tap any clip to hear it.
5 of 10 see a finish — 5 by KO/TKO, 2 by decision.
The MMA Guru called 2 of 4 The MMA Guru: picks O'Malley — KO/TKO
Zahabi ("Amy/Amian Zahabi") lacks the sudden power or grappling to threaten O'Malley ("Shaun Ali/Omali"), who will be too there-to-be-hit and get clipped for a vintage highlight KO in the first or second round.
Track record: winner called in 2 of 4 resolved picks.
We Want Picks called 2 of 5 We Want Picks: picks O'Malley — to win
Sean is the far more accurate striker with more power and controls the range against a Zahabi who doesn't threaten takedowns or move forward.
Track record: winner called in 2 of 5 resolved picks.
TheWeasle called 3 of 5 TheWeasle: picks O'Malley — Decision
O'Malley's striking is on a far higher level and Zahabi has seen nothing he can't handle, but Zahabi's toughness keeps him alive to a decision.
Track record: winner called in 3 of 5 resolved picks, 1 a perfect call.
Michael Bisping track record building Michael Bisping: picks O'Malley — to win
O'Malley is taller with better boxing and a longer reach, and Bisping leans on the Chito Vera common opponent — what O'Malley did to Vera versus how close Zahabi's own fight with Vera was — while admitting MMA math doesn't really stack up.
- Taller, better boxing, longer reach
- Uses the Chito Vera common opponent as a loose read
“Sugar Sean O'Malley is probably going to beat Aiemann Zahabi.”
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
Demetrious Johnson track record building Demetrious Johnson: picks O'Malley — to win
DJ picks O'Malley, who he sees in a flow state with strong takedown defence that makes it hard for Zahabi to close the distance. Zahabi's only real path is to grapple O'Malley onto his back with a near-perfect game plan.
- O'Malley's flow state and takedown defence are the difference
- Zahabi's only path is grappling him onto his back
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
The W.A.D.E. Concept track record building The W.A.D.E. Concept: picks O'Malley — KO/TKO · R3
Wade leans on Zahabi getting hit nearly as often as he lands — a bad idea against O'Malley, who thrives once he finds his flow on a striking-heavy card. He cites coach Tim Welch calling it their best, healthiest camp, and frames it as O'Malley needing a statement.
- Zahabi's tiny margin between strikes landed and absorbed is the danger
- Coach Tim Welch: best camp they've had, fully healthy
- O'Malley needs a big-stage statement
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
Bedtime MMA track record building Bedtime MMA: picks O'Malley — Decision
He thinks O'Malley styles on Zahabi with oblique kicks, body front-kicks, jab and straight punches against Zahabi's pressure-boxing. He credits Zahabi's kicks and toughness and a viable takedown threat, but expects O'Malley to defend, threaten guillotines and win clearly.
- Predicts a dominant 30-27, maybe 30-26 decision
- Expects O'Malley to drop Zahabi but not finish
- A Zahabi split-decision upset would be 'comedy gold'
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
HopperoMMA track record building HopperoMMA: picks O'Malley — KO/TKO · R2
O'Malley has faced far better strikers and grapplers across his career than Zahabi, a 38-year-old who only barely beat Aldo and Vera. The host sees O'Malley as the most dynamic striker in the division and expects vintage form.
- High confidence — 'most winnable opponent O'Malley's had in years'
- MMA-math nod: O'Malley destroyed Vera, who pushed Zahabi close
- Predicts O'Malley's first finish since Almakdam
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
Lucas Tracy track record building Lucas Tracy: picks O'Malley — KO/TKO · R1 (note: An early read — filmed ~2 weeks out (1 Jun), before fight week.)
Tracy notes Zahabi is a notorious slow starter coming off a razor-thin fight with Vera, while O'Malley is dangerous early and put on one of the best bantamweight striking performances ever against Vera. He expects O'Malley to walk Zahabi onto a punch early.
- Zahabi is a chronic slow starter
- O'Malley's only trouble is an early Zahabi takedown
- O'Malley also does his best work late
* An early read — filmed ~2 weeks out (1 Jun), before fight week.
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
Danny “Brasco” Vithlani track record building Danny “Brasco” Vithlani: picks O'Malley — KO/TKO (note: A betting analyst's pick on the UFC on Paramount+ / CBS HQ Spotlight panel.)
The betting analyst likes a 'big time' O'Malley knockout: Zahabi at 38 is taking accumulating damage — knocked down in each of his last two fights — and runs into a sharp O'Malley at a bad time.
- Zahabi knocked down in each of his last two fights
- Damage accumulating at 38
- O'Malley is roughly a 2-to-1 favourite
“I like a big time O'Malley knockout.”
* A betting analyst's pick on the UFC on Paramount+ / CBS HQ Spotlight panel.
Track record builds as we verify their past calls.
Video
O'Malley and Zahabi at their best — tap to play here.