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Sean O’Malley recounts telling President Trump at White House UFC event: ‘I knocked out a Canadian for you’
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Politics/The Apex Times/Jun 18, 12:25 PM EDT

Sean O’Malley recounts telling President Trump at White House UFC event: ‘I knocked out a Canadian for you’

Mixed martial artist Sean O’Malley said he made a joke to President Donald Trump on the anniversary of the president’s 80th birthday after his win at UFC’s Freedom 250 event on June 14 at the White House South Lawn.

2 min readEditor-approved Apex article

American mixed martial fighter Sean O’Malley said he told President Donald Trump a joke during the president’s 80th birthday celebrations following O’Malley’s knockout win at UFC’s Freedom 250 event at the White House South Lawn on June 14.

O’Malley, a bantamweight, described the line to reporters after the fight, saying he told Trump, “Happy birthday, I knocked out a Canadian for you.” He was referring to his victory over Canadian fighter Aiemann Zahabi at Freedom 250, according to the report.

The Hill reported that the White House hosted the UFC event on the South Lawn as part of Trump’s birthday activities, and O’Malley’s remarks were among the moments captured publicly from the appearance. The report did not attribute any official statement from the White House about the exchange.

Freedom 250 featured O’Malley in a bout against Zahabi, with the fight ending via knockout, the outlet said. The report framed O’Malley’s comment as humor aimed at the president’s birthday and tied to the nationality of the opponent he defeated.

O’Malley’s account places the interaction in a specific timeline: June 14, after his fight concluded, with Trump’s birthday celebration occurring that day. The episode is part of broader scrutiny that has followed high-profile sports events held on federal property, though the report focused on the fighter’s remarks rather than any policy issues.

In the days after the UFC event, O’Malley’s comments were carried in media coverage as a behind-the-scenes anecdote from the White House setting. No additional primary record, transcript, or official White House recap of the exchange was included in the materials reviewed for this story.

Why It Matters

  • The episode highlights how presidential milestone events can intersect with major sports promotions on federal property.
  • Because the account is based on O’Malley’s description as reported by The Hill, the precise wording is attributed to him rather than supported by a cited official transcript in the available record.
  • The venue and timing, June 14 at the White House South Lawn, place the remarks in an identifiable official setting even as the exchange itself remains largely anecdotal in public reporting.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Sean O’Malley said he told President Donald Trump a joke during the president’s 80th birthday celebrations at the White House.
  • O’Malley made the comment: “Happy birthday, I knocked out a Canadian for you,” the outlet reported.
  • The joke referenced O’Malley’s knockout victory over Canadian fighter Aiemann Zahabi.
  • The bout took place at UFC’s Freedom 250 event on June 14 at the White House South Lawn.
  • The Hill report presented the exchange as O’Malley’s recollection and did not cite an official White House transcript or statement confirming the exact wording beyond the report.