Youssef Zalal to headline UFC event for first time this weekend

Moroccan fighter Youssef Zalal will headline his first UFC event this weekend. After a rocky start in the UFC with three losses and a draw following three wins, Zalal left for the American promotion Sparta, where he secured three first-round finishes. He returned to the UFC in 2024 and won three straight by submission before earning ranked opponents. Zalal defeated Calvin Kattar by decision and then submitted Josh Emmett in the first round. The 29-year-old is now ranked number seven at featherweight, just behind Jean Silva, and a win over Sterling would put him in the top five.