Canadian MMA fighter Aiemann Zahabi said he is eager to “spoil” the upcoming UFC fight at the White House, which is being held on President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday.
Set for June 14 on the South Lawn, the event is part of the Trump administration’s celebrations for the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It will feature six fights, including one between Zahabi and American Sean O’Malley, who bookmakers place as the favorite.
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“It’s nice to have someone to sharpen your blade against. I think it’s going to be great if I spoil the party,” Zahabi told Newsmax Thursday.
“I have the ninth largest upset in UFC history, and I’m looking to top that with this fight,” he said. “I’ve spoiled parlays before, and I’m willing to do it again. Every time I’m an underdog, it looks like I win.”
The UFC fighter’s tough talk comes at a time of heightened tension between the U.S. and Canada, longtime allies and major trading partners. In his second term, Trump has imposed steep tariffs on Canada while repeatedly expressing his desire to make it America’s “51st state.”
Canadian UFC fighter Aiemann Zahabi said he wants to ‘spoil’ the upcoming fight at the White House, which will coincide with Trump’s 80th birthday (Getty Images)
Some 48 percent of Canadians see the U.S. as the world’s biggest threat to peace, according to a February Politico survey. For the first time in over 100 years, the Canadian military is modeling its response to a hypothetical U.S. invasion.
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In his interview with Newsmax, Zahabi touched on the souring relationship between the two neighbors.
“Everyone watches the Canadians play when they play against the United States,” he said. “It’s huge stakes especially with all this tension going on between us politically.”
“I like to think that you know sports unites us in a way,” he added. “But it’s nice to have that rivalry right. It’s like having a brother that pushes you to your next level.”
Unlike most Canadians, Zahabi seems unfazed by Trump — in fact, he telegraphed quite the opposite feeling. He said that, if the 79-year-old president were running in Canada, he likely would have voted for him.
‘It’s nice to have someone to sharpen your blade against. I think it’s going to be great if I spoil the party,’ the Canadian fighter told Newsmax on Thursday (Newsmax)
Trump said he plans to build a 100,000-seat stadium in DC for the June 14 fight. Here he is pictured with UFC CEO Dana White (Getty)
“I would like capitalism to rein in socialism,” Zahabi said. “In terms of no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, these are the kind of things I want to see in Canada, so that people can really make it here instead of hitting that ceiling.”
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O’Malley has also spoken about the upcoming fight in Washington, D.C. “I’m very, very excited,” he said in a podcast interview last week. “We’re dialed in.”
Trump, an MMA fan and close friends with UFC CEO Dana White, said he plans to build a 100,000-seat stadium near the White House for the June 14 spectacle.
“They are going to put up something that’s really amazing,” Trump told reporters on March 6. “It’s really having to do with our great 250th birthday, where we’re having so many wonderful things.”
The series of UFC fights are set to be held on the South Lawn of the White House, pictured here on February 27 (Getty Images)
Some UFC aficionados have expressed reservations. Joe Rogan, the hit podcaster and UFC color commentator, said he’s looking forward to the event, but finds it “weird” given the U.S. war against Iran.
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“I’m excited. It sounds crazy. I know it’s going to be very high security and high stress and weird to have a fight at the White House in the middle of a f***ing war,” Rogan, who endorsed Trump in 2024, said during an episode of his show Wednesday.
“I would hope the war will be sorted out by June, but quite honestly, I’m not confident that’s going to be the case. So that’ll be weird — having this very high profile event where everyone’s in one place at one time right there,” Rogan added.
