Youssef Zalal set to headline UFC event for first time in career

Moroccan fighter Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC card this weekend for the first time in his career. The 29-year-old debuted in the UFC in 2020 with three consecutive wins before suffering three losses and one draw. He then competed in the American promotion Sparta, securing three first-round finishes. Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 and won three fights by submission before earning a ranked opponent. He defeated Calvin Kattar by decision and then submitted Josh Emmett in the first round. Currently ranked seventh at featherweight, directly behind Geon Silva, Zalal could enter the top five with a victory over Sterling.