Youssef Zalal to headline UFC event for first time this weekend

Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC event for the first time this weekend at age 29. The Moroccan fighter debuted in the UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before suffering three losses and one draw. He then competed in the American promotion Sparta, where he secured three first-round finishes. Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 and recorded three submission victories before facing ranked opposition. He defeated Calvin Kattar by decision and then submitted Josh Emmett with an arm lock in the first round. Currently ranked number 7 at featherweight, Zalal sits just behind Gene Silva and could move into the top five with a victory over Sterling.