Yussef Zalal to headline first UFC event after impressive comeback run

Yussef Zalal will headline a UFC event this weekend for the first time in his career. The 29-year-old Moroccan debuted in the UFC in 2020, winning his first three fights before suffering three losses and a draw. After leaving for the American promotion Sparta, where he secured three first-round finishes, Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 with renewed success. He has won his last fights by submission, followed by a decision victory over ranked opponent Calvin Kattar and a first-round armbar finish of Josh Emmett. Currently ranked number seven in the featherweight division, just behind Jilin Silva, a victory over Aljamain Sterling would propel him into the top five of the division.