Youssef Zalal to headline first UFC event, faces Sterling after rise to #7

Youssef Zalal will headline his first UFC event this weekend, marking a career milestone for the Moroccan fighter. After a rocky start with three wins followed by three losses and a draw, Zalal competed in Sparta promotion where he scored three first-round finishes. He returned to UFC in 2024 and earned three submission victories before facing ranked opponents. Zalal defeated Calvin Kattar by decision and then submitted Josh Emmett in the first round. Now ranked seventh at featherweight, Zalal sits just behind Jinh Yu Frey and could enter the top five with a victory over Sterling at age 29.