Aiemann Zahabi already understands that his fight on the UFC White House card will be the pinnacle of his career, and he wants the walkout to match it. The Canadian bantamweight is scheduled to face Sean O’Malley at Freedom 250, in one of the most anticipated fights on the card. With the event taking place on the White House South Lawn, he believes it only makes sense to do something special before entering the Octagon.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani, the 38-year-old said that he had been thinking about his dream walkout for weeks, especially because the fight reflects how far he has come in his life.

“You know what would be incredible? I’m walking out with Georges St-Pierre from the White House,” Aiemann Zahabi said. “You know what would be even crazier is if Drake walked me out from the Oval Office, singing ‘Started From The Bottom.’

“Drake, if you’re out there, I would love it if you could do that.”

The Canadian fighter explained that the song means a lot to him personally because his journey to the UFC started far from the spotlight, and the idea of fighting in the White House was something he never could have imagined when he first began training.

“You know, I started from nothing,” he continued. “My parents immigrated here from a war-torn country, and I made it all the way to the White House.

“I truly started from the bottom. Drake, if you’re listening, I would love for you to come out and perform for us.”

Drake has been quite active when it comes to the UFC, frequently sharing bets on fights and appearing at events, which is why Aiemann Zahabi believes the idea isn’t impossible, especially for an event that the promotion considers as one of its biggest shows of the year.

He also joked that the UFC’s relationship with Drake’s OVO brand could make the proposal work if everything went as planned.

“If OVO wants to sponsor your boy, you know, bring that to the White House,” he said. “Things like that would be cool.”

Well, it appears that the 38-year-old is fully welcoming the opportunity to represent Canada in a big way on a card built on the USA vs. Canada storyline, especially after the Canadian hockey team lost to Team USA to win the gold medal in men’s ice hockey at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.

Zahabi leans into the Canada vs. America rivalry

With the White House card building on the USA vs. Canada theme, Aiemann Zahabi says the bout seems more than simply another clash. After describing his ideal walkout, he confessed that he strongly embraces the competition between the two countries, especially because the event is taking place in Washington against an American opponent like Sean O’Malley.

“[Canada and America] are always pushing each other,” Zahabi told Helwani. “The rivalry is the best thing we have because we each have to step our game up.”

He feels that occasions like this bring out the best in athletes, and he expects the same when he fights ‘Suga.’ The 38-year-old also referred to Canada’s recent defeat to Team USA in men’s hockey at the Winter Olympics, stating it only serves as inspiration for the fight.

“I think [Canada’s loss to Team USA in hockey] adds fuel for me now,” he added. “I want to go out there, and I wanna beat Sean O’Malley with an exclamation mark. I want to finish him; it would be incredible to do so.

“It would be nice to do that in the White House—represent Canada and do it there.”

Aiemann Zahabi stated that he wants to represent Canada the right way at the White House and that doing so with a strong performance versus Sean O’Malley would make the occasion even more meaningful for him and for the Canadian fans watching.