Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC event for the first time in his career this weekend. The 29-year-old Moroccan fighter debuted in the UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before suffering three losses and a draw. He then left for the Sparta promotion, where he scored three consecutive first-round finishes. Upon returning to the UFC in 2024, Zalal won three submission victories and defeated ranked opponents Calvin Kattar by decision and Josh Emmett via first-round armbar. Currently ranked number seven in the featherweight division, just behind Jean Silva, Zalal will face Aljamain Sterling, and a victory would push him into the top five.
