Sean O’Malley is embracing the uncertainty of fighting outdoors as he prepares for his bout with Aiemann Zahabi on the UFC White House card in Washington, D.C., scheduled for Sunday on the South Lawn.
The event is set as an outdoor show, with a forecast calling for 91-degree heat and around a 40 percent chance of rain and storms on June 14. UFC CEO Dana White has identified weather as the biggest concern for the card and has said only lightning would force the promotion to postpone or delay the fights.
O’Malley acknowledged the unusual setup, saying, "It’s different," and adding, "It adds to the craziness of this whole event. I have fought outside previously a long, long time ago, 10 years ago, eight years ago I think probably was the last time I fought outside. It’s just one of those things."
"You can’t really prepare for it. You’ve just got to mentally prepare for being able to adapt to whatever happens. That’s kind of where I’m at," O’Malley said. On potential wind or other elements, he added, "If it’s windy for me, it’s windy for him," and, "It’s not like it’s [only] going to affect one of us. It could affect one of us more so than the other but we’re both going to have to deal with whatever it is."
Despite the forecast and the outdoor octagon being built near gardens on the South Lawn, O’Malley remains upbeat: "I have a feeling it’s going to be nice out. It’s going to be beautiful. It’s going to be perfect. It’s going to be a good night."
