Zahabi on anime, fatherhood and facing O'Malley at UFC White House

Aiemann Zahabi is one win away from undisputed No. 1 contender status at bantamweight, but ahead of his Sunday clash with former champion Sean O’Malley at UFC White House in Washington, D.C., the 38-year-old Canadian is happy to talk about something other than fighting.

In a wide-ranging conversation with MMA Fighting’s José Youngs, Zahabi — who carries a record of 14-2 — discussed his love of anime, singling out Dragon Ball Z and Naruto as particular favourites. The father revealed he watches both series with his daughters, a ritual that has become a fixture of family life away from training camps and fight weeks.

The lighter tone belies the significance of what awaits him this weekend. Zahabi currently holds the longest active win streak in the UFC’s 135-pound division, having beaten six consecutive opponents at bantamweight. His two biggest victories came in 2025: a hard-fought decision over the legendary Jose Aldo at UFC 315, followed by a win over perennially ranked contender Chito Vera.

Sitting at No. 8 in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, Zahabi enters Sunday’s bout as the underdog against O’Malley, who is chasing a path back to championship gold. A victory would catapult Zahabi into the elite tier of the division and make his case for a title shot impossible to ignore.

For now, though, he is content to let Goku and Naruto do the heavy lifting at home.