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. The 29-year-old Moroccan debuted in the UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before suffering three losses and a draw. After departing for the American promotion Sparta, Zalal secured three first-round finishes before returning to the UFC in 2024. Since his return, he has won five straight fights, including submission victories and notable wins over ranked opponents Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett, whom he submitted with an armbar in the first round. Currently ranked seventh in the featherweight division, Zalal sits just behind Jair Silva and could enter the top five with a victory over Aljamain Sterling.