Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC event this weekend for the first time in his career. The 29-year-old Moroccan fighter debuted in the UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before suffering three losses and a draw. After leaving for Sparta promotion where he secured three first-round finishes, Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 with renewed success. He has since won five straight fights, including submission victories over ranked opponents Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett, with the Emmett win coming via first-round armbar. Currently ranked number seven in the featherweight division, Zalal will face former champion Aljamain Sterling in the main event, with a victory potentially propelling him into the top five.
