Youssef Zalal to headline UFC event for the first time this weekend

Youssef Zalal will main event a UFC card for the first time in his career this weekend. The Moroccan featherweight debuted in the UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before suffering three losses and a draw. After competing in Sparta Combat League and recording three first-round finishes, he returned to the UFC in 2024. Zalal has since won five straight UFC fights, including submission victories over ranked opponents Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett. Now ranked number seven at featherweight, the 29-year-old will face Aljamain Sterling in a bout that could move him into the top five with a victory.