Youssef Zalal will headline a UFC card this weekend for the first time in his career. The Moroccan fighter debuted in the UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before experiencing a rough patch with three losses and a draw. He left for the American promotion Sparta, where he secured three first-round finishes. Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024, earning three submission wins before defeating ranked opponents Calvin Kattar by decision and Josh Emmett by first-round armbar. Now ranked seventh at featherweight, the 29-year-old will face Aljamain Sterling, with a win potentially moving him into the top five.
