UFC Freedom 250 is less than 24 hours away …
It all goes down this weekend (Sun., June 14, 2026) on the White House’s South Lawn in Washington, D.C., as Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) celebrates America’s 250th birthday with one of the most unique events in combat sports history.
We have a weekly series at MMAmania.com called “Weekend Lock,” where we share one bet that we predict will slap in D.C. when the chaotic dust settles. We also want to hear what our readers think (that’s you!), so please
tell us your most confident UFC Freedom 250 betting lock in the comments section below (see full UFC Freedom 250 odds here).
Last week’s recap: Well, I whiffed on my bet last weekend as Jordan Leavitt got tapped by Joanderson Brito … and I’m not happy about it.
Let’s keep rolling below:
Former UFC Bantamweight champion, Sean O’Malley, returns to action against surging contender, Aiemann Zahabi, in a fight that has a chance to end violently.
This week, I’m locking in O’Malley vs. Zahabi to “Go the Distance” at -160.
Here’s why:
The biggest factor in this bout is durability.
O’Malley has only been finished twice in his professional career, while Zahabi has been stopped just once — and that came all the way back in 2017 when Ricardo Ramos blasted him with a ridiculous spinning elbow.
Since then?
He’s been incredibly difficult to put away. And that includes when Jose Aldo kicked him in the head … and he still survived.
The other thing that’s changed is O’Malley’s finishing rate.
A few years ago, “Suga” felt like an automatic knockout waiting to happen. Recently, however, that finishing ability has seemingly fallen off a cliff. He couldn’t stop Marlon Vera in their rematch, and most recently couldn’t finish an incredibly durable Song Yadong at UFC 324.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing. O’Malley has evolved into a much more mature, technical striker. Instead of forcing finishes, he manages distance, wins rounds and tries to pick apart opponents over 15 or 25 minutes.
That style lends itself perfectly to a decision prop.
As for Zahabi, he’s publicly stated that he intends to strike with O’Malley instead of leaning on wrestling. On paper, that sounds dangerous. In reality, Zahabi is a disciplined, intelligent fighter who understands range management and defense. He isn’t the type to recklessly charge into exchanges searching for a highlight-reel finish.
Expect a technical kickboxing match.
O’Malley will likely control the range with his length and precision, while Zahabi attempts to counter and make things competitive without taking unnecessary risks.
What could go wrong?
Well, O’Malley is still O’Malley.
Even if his knockout rate has slowed, he possesses elite timing and accuracy. One perfectly-placed counter could end the fight immediately. Likewise, if Zahabi becomes too confident in the striking exchanges, he could walk into something big.
Still, given the durability of both men, O’Malley’s recent trend toward decisions, and Zahabi’s historically tough chin, O’Malley vs. Zahabi to “Go the Distance” at -160 looks like one of the safest plays on UFC Freedom 250’s card.
- Sean O’Malley via TKO/KO/DQ: +185
- Sean O’Malley via submission: +1600
- Sean O’Malley via decision: +100
- Aiemann Zahabi via TKO/KO/DQ: +1400
- Aiemann Zahabi via submission: +3000
- Aiemann Zahabi via decision: +50o
