Sean O'Malley is all in for the historic UFC White House card this June—just don't ask him to rave about his fight kit. The former bantamweight champion didn't hold back his thoughts on the special red, white, and blue uniforms designed by Venum for the event, calling them "ugly" and questioning the design process.
Speaking on his podcast, O'Malley admitted he wasn't thrilled with the patriotic-themed gear he'll wear when he faces Aiemann Zahabi. "I don't even know if I'm supposed to say… they're ugly," he said. "Mine were ugly. I don't like them. They're not pink, which is fine—I've worn other colors. I'm not going to not show up because my shorts aren't pink. I'll make my hair pink or whatever."
The 14 fighters scheduled for the White House card each received a version of the limited-edition uniform, but O'Malley's reaction suggests the design missed the mark. He even joked that the UFC might have outsourced the work to Fiverr, a freelance platform known for budget-friendly gigs. "Did they go on Fiverr and say, 'Hey, we got these guys getting into a fight on the White House lawn, can you just come up with something?'" he quipped. "When I was wearing them, they're white—which is whatever. I love white, Dana White… I just didn't love them."
Despite his fashion frustrations, O'Malley isn't letting the uniform dampen his fighting spirit. In fact, he's already planning to give those white shorts a dramatic makeover inside the Octagon. "I like the white because I truly believe I'm going to crack Aiemann," he said. "I'm going to bloody his nose. I think I'm going to hit him a lot. I think he's going to be very tough and very durable, but I'm going to beat the f*** out of him—kind of like Chris Moutinho-esque. I'm excited for my white shorts to be red."
For fans and fighters alike, the UFC White House card is shaping up to be a memorable night of combat sports on a historic stage. And while O'Malley may not be a fan of his official gear, he's promising to deliver a performance that will leave a lasting impression—no matter what he's wearing.
