Youssef Zalal to headline UFC event for first time in career

Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC event this weekend for the first time in his career. The Moroccan fighter debuted in the promotion in 2020, winning his first three fights before suffering three losses and one draw. After a stint in the American promotion Sparta Combat League where he earned three first-round finishes, Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024. He has since won three fights by submission, defeated ranked opponent Calvin Kattar by decision, and submitted Josh Emmett in the first round. The 29-year-old is now ranked number seven at featherweight, positioned directly behind Jin Silva, and could enter the top five with a victory over Aljamain Sterling.