Youssef Zalal has stated his goal to become the first fighter to submit Aljamain Sterling in their main event bout at UFC Vegas 116 this weekend. Sterling, a former bantamweight champion known for his grappling prowess, has never been submitted in his professional career. Zalal is expressing confidence in his ability to break that streak. The matchup will test whether Zalal's submission skills can overcome Sterling's well-established defensive grappling. The post suggests public skepticism about Zalal's chances of achieving this feat.
Youssef Zalal has set an ambitious target heading into UFC Vegas 116 this weekend, declaring his intention to become the first fighter to submit Aljamain Sterling when the two meet in the featherweight main event.
Zalal, known as "The Moroccan Devil," enters the bout at 18-6-1 and ranked twelfth in the featherweight division. The 29-year-old, who trains out of Factory X, is an active submission threat, averaging 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside 2.17 takedowns in the same span. He also carries a 50 percent striking accuracy and lands 3.03 significant strikes per minute, reflecting a well-rounded offensive game from both a switch stance.
Standing across from him is a considerably more decorated opponent. Aljamain Sterling, nicknamed "Funk Master," holds a 26-5-0 record and sits fourth in the featherweight rankings. The 36-year-old Serra-Longo product is a former bantamweight champion whose grappling credentials are among the most respected in the sport. Sterling has never been submitted across his entire professional career, and his 52 percent striking accuracy combined with 4.45 significant strikes landed per minute demonstrate that his game extends well beyond defense. His own submission attempt rate of 0.6 per 15 minutes reflects a fighter who rarely needs to rely on that path to victory.
Zalal's stated confidence has been met with public skepticism, given Sterling's unblemished submission defense record.
Why it matters
- Sterling's zero career submissions on record makes Zalal's stated goal one of the most difficult in the sport to achieve
- A win for Zalal over a former champion ranked fourth would dramatically reshape his standing in the featherweight division
- The stylistic clash pits one of the division's more active submission hunters against arguably its most tested defensive grappler
