A fighter competing on the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 card has made an emotional appeal to rap superstar Drake, asking him to be part of a historic moment at the White House event.
The highly anticipated card will feature six bouts and includes several major matchups. Among them is a lightweight title unification fight between undisputed champion Ilia Topuria and interim titleholder Justin Gaethje. In the heavyweight division, Alex Pereira is set to face Ciryl Gane for an interim title. Another key fight on the card sees bantamweights Sean O’Malley and Aiemann Zahabi go head-to-head in a USA vs. Canada clash.
Ahead of what he considers the biggest fight of his career, Zahabi has openly shared his ambitions—not just for victory, but for how he wants to enter the arena. Speaking about his matchup against former bantamweight champion O’Malley, Zahabi said he is determined to make a strong statement by finishing the fight decisively. He also highlighted how meaningful it would be to achieve such a win at the White House, especially as a Canadian defeating an American on such a stage, calling it a potentially historic moment for his country.
Zahabi then revealed a unique idea for his walkout. While he plans to be accompanied by MMA legend Georges St-Pierre, he said it would be even more memorable if Drake joined him, performing the song “Started From The Bottom” as they walked out. He explained that the song resonates deeply with his personal journey, noting that his parents immigrated from a war-torn country and that he has worked his way up to compete on one of the sport’s biggest stages.
In a heartfelt message, Zahabi directly addressed Drake, expressing how much it would mean to have him involved, especially given the symbolic nature of the event and his own story of perseverance. He reiterated his hope that the artist would consider performing live as part of his entrance.
While it is uncommon for the UFC to feature live musical performances during fighter walkouts—something more typically seen in boxing—there is still a possibility given the scale and celebratory nature of the event.
Drake has previously shown his enthusiasm for the sport, notably appearing alongside Conor McGregor during the ceremonial weigh-ins for UFC 229 ahead of McGregor’s fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov. Because of this connection and the significance of UFC Freedom 250, there remains a chance that the promotion could allow such a moment if Drake agrees to Zahabi’s request.