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Sean O'Malley Wins Big, Demands Championship Money

2026-06-29 · Sean O'Malley · Player Focus

Sean O'Malley Wins Big, Demands Championship Money

Sean O'Malley knocked out Aiemann Zahabi on Sunday's UFC Freedom 250 card at the White House.

What happened?

O'Malley ended Zahabi's 7-fight win streak.

He made it back-to-back wins in 2026, after getting the better of Song Yadong in January.

O'Malley's win was a highlight-reel moment, and he already knows his stance on what comes next.

Why it matters for Sean O'Malley

The former bantamweight champion wants a rematch with Petr Yan, and he's chasing championship-level pay.

O'Malley entered this year outside of the bantamweight title picture, having lost consecutive fights against Merab Dvalishvili.

Petr Yan's victory over Dvalishvili last December appeared to shorten O'Malley's potential path back to a title fight.

What comes next?

O'Malley plans to make sure he gets the compensation he is after, and he's willing to reject non-title fights unless he gets championship money.

“Honestly, it comes down to pay,” O'Malley told Megan Olivi in a Paramount interview.

He added that if he's going to get paid championship money to fight a championship-level guy next, he'll do it.

But if not, he wants the championship money, and he's willing to wait for it.

O'Malley didn't receive a UFC Freedom 250 bonus despite his walk-off knockout, and he was furious to miss out on one.

The 'Performance of the Night' paychecks were boosted to $425k for the event, and O'Malley felt he deserved one.

Justin Gaethje and Ciryl Gane picked up the POTN bonuses for their headlining title wins, while 'Fight of the Night' also went to Gaethje after his four-round war with Ilia Topuria.

O'Malley's frustration with the UFC is clear, and he's willing to stand his ground to get what he wants.

The 31-year-old already left the UFC White House event financially frustrated, and he's not going to back down now.

O'Malley's demand for championship money is a bold move, but it's one he feels is necessary to get the compensation he deserves.

Only time will tell if the UFC will meet O'Malley's demands, but one thing is certain - he's not going to back down without a fight.

More Sean O'Malley news →