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 at age 29. The Moroccan fighter debuted in the UFC in 2020 with three straight wins but then went 0-3-1 before leaving for Sparta Combat League, where he scored three first-round finishes. He returned to the UFC in 2024 and won three fights by submission before earning ranked opponents. Zalal defeated Calvin Kattar by decision and then submitted Josh Emmett in the first round. He is currently ranked number seven at featherweight, sitting just behind Jean Silva. A victory over Aljamain Sterling would move him into the top five of the division.