Youssef Zalal to headline UFC card for first time this weekend

Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC event for the first time in his career this weekend. The Moroccan fighter debuted in the UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before experiencing three losses and a draw. He then left for the Sparta promotion, where he secured three first-round finishes. Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 and has since won three fights by submission, followed by a decision victory over Calvin Kattar and a first-round submission of Josh Emmett. Currently ranked number seven at featherweight, the 29-year-old sits just behind Chingiz Silva and could break into the top five with a victory over Aljamain Sterling.