Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC event this weekend for the first time in his career. The Moroccan fighter debuted in the UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before going through a difficult stretch with three losses and one draw. After leaving for the American promotion Sparta, he secured three first-round finishes before returning to the UFC in 2024. Since his return, Zalal has won three fights by submission and defeated ranked opponents Calvin Kattar by decision and Josh Emmett by first-round armbar. Now ranked number seven at featherweight, the 29-year-old sits just behind Giga Chikadze and could enter the top five with a victory over Sterling.
