Canadian singer and rapper Drake has been linked to the UFC White Home card, however for now, Aiemann Zahabi says nothing is official. The Canadian bantamweight clarified on April 18 that he and the UFC are nonetheless ready to listen to again, writing that Drake’s involvement is “not confirmed” after a web-based publish prompt the music star had already agreed to stroll him out.
Is Drake a part of the UFC White Home occasion? Aiemann Zahabi supplies replace
Zahabi himself helped begin the concept throughout an look on The Ariel Helwani Present. Waiting for his June 14 bout with former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley on the White Home occasion, Zahabi stated Georges St-Pierre would already be a part of his entrance, then added that having Drake be part of him from the Oval Workplace whereas performing “Began From the Backside” would make the second even greater.
Zahabi defined why the music means one thing to him. He stated his mother and father immigrated to Canada after leaving a war-torn nation, and he related that story to his personal path within the sport, saying he “began from nothing” and reached a stage as massive as a White Home UFC card.
Drake’s potential involvement would additionally revive discuss of the so-called “Drake curse,” a long-running joke amongst battle followers tied to a number of of his high-profile UFC betting losses, together with misses on Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland and Aljamain Sterling, even when the concept stays extra meme than measurable development.
Zahabi made a public request, however there was no confirmation from Drake. Stories and social posts picked up the unique quote rapidly, which helped gas hypothesis, but Zahabi later stepped in to appropriate the report himself.
Even with out Drake, Zahabi has already hooked up a significant MMA identify to the walkout. Heavy reported that Zahabi confirmed St-Pierre, his Tristar teammate and UFC Corridor of Famer, could be in his nook for the occasion, giving the Canadian contender a high-profile presence earlier than he even enters the cage.
Zahabi enters the matchup on a seven-fight profitable streak and sits No. 6 within the bantamweight rankings, whereas the bout with O’Malley is framed round a Canada-versus-America theme that Zahabi says motivates him.
That nationwide angle is a part of why Zahabi needs Drake concerned within the first place. In the identical interview, he stated the rivalry between Canada and america pushes athletes to lift their degree, and he spoke about desirous to beat O’Malley on the White Home whereas representing Canada on a stage that will be historic for him.
So, is Drake a part of the UFC White Home occasion? Proper now, the reply isn’t any, a minimum of not formally. Zahabi needs him there, St-Pierre is already set to be concerned, and till Drake responds or the UFC says in any other case, the singer’s function stays an thought quite than a confirmed piece of the present.
