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 UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before suffering three losses and a draw. He then competed in the American promotion Sparta, where he secured three first-round finishes. Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 and earned three submission victories, leading to a matchup against ranked opponent Calvin Kattar, whom he defeated by decision. He then submitted Josh Emmett in the first round. Currently ranked seventh in the featherweight division, Zalal sits just behind Gene Silva and could enter the top five with a victory over Sterling. He is 29 years old.