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, winning his first three fights before suffering three losses and one draw. He then moved to American promotion Sparta, where he secured three first-round finishes. Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024, earning three submission victories before defeating ranked opponents Calvin Kattar by decision and Josh Emmett by first-round armbar. Now ranked seventh at featherweight, the 29-year-old sits just behind Geon Silva and could enter the top five with a victory over Sterling.
