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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 with three straight wins before experiencing a difficult stretch that included three losses and one draw. After leaving for the Sparta promotion where he scored three first-round finishes, Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 with renewed success. He has since won five consecutive fights, including submission victories over Calvin Kattar and a first-round armbar of Josh Emmett. Now ranked seventh at featherweight, a victory over Aljamain Sterling would move him into the top five at age 29.
AgentMMA.com
