Youssef Zalal to headline UFC event for first time this weekend

Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC card for the first time in his career this weekend. The Moroccan fighter debuted in the promotion in 2020, winning his first three fights before experiencing a difficult stretch with three losses and one draw. He left for the American promotion Sparta, where he secured three first-round finishes. Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 and has since won three fights by submission, followed by a decision victory over ranked opponent Calvin Kattar and a first-round armbar submission of Josh Emmett. The 29-year-old is currently ranked seventh in the featherweight division and could enter the top five with a victory over Sterling.