Youssef Zalal to headline UFC event for first time in career this weekend

Moroccan fighter Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC event for the first time in his career this weekend. After a mixed start to his UFC tenure beginning in 2020, Zalal left for Sparta promotion where he secured three first-round finishes before returning to the UFC in 2024. Since his return, he has earned three submission victories and defeated ranked opponents Calvin Kattar by decision and Josh Emmett by first-round armbar. Now ranked number seven at featherweight, the 29-year-old faces Aljamain Sterling and could break into the top five with a victory.