Youssef Zalal to headline UFC event 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 and won his first three fights before experiencing a rough patch with three losses and one draw. He then left for the American promotion Sparta, where he secured three first-round finishes. Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 and has since won three fights by submission, including victories over ranked opponents Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett. Now ranked number seven at featherweight, a win over Aljamain Sterling would propel him into the top five.