Youssef Zalal aims to be first to submit Aljamain Sterling at UFC Vegas 116

Youssef Zalal has set an ambitious target ahead of his main event appearance at UFC Vegas 116 this weekend, declaring his intention to become the first fighter ever to submit Aljamain Sterling in a professional bout.

Zalal, known as "The Moroccan Devil," enters the contest at 18-6-1 and sits at number 12 in the featherweight rankings. The 29-year-old southpaw out of Factory X has built a reputation as a genuine submission threat, averaging 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes alongside 2.17 takedowns per 15 minutes. He strikes at a 50 percent accuracy rate, landing 3.03 significant strikes per minute, and operates comfortably out of a switch stance.

Standing across from him will be the fourth-ranked featherweight Aljamain Sterling, "Funk Master," who carries a 26-5-0 record into the contest. The 36-year-old from the Serra-Longo Fight Team has never been submitted across his professional career, which makes Zalal's stated ambition a considerable one. Sterling is an active and accurate striker, landing 4.45 significant strikes per minute at 52 percent accuracy, while also averaging 2.45 takedowns per 15 minutes — a number that underscores his own grappling credentials.

Why it matters

• Sterling's zero career submissions on record gives Zalal's stated goal genuine historical weight
• A win for Zalal over a top-five opponent would dramatically alter the featherweight landscape and push him deep into title contention
• Zalal's submission volume against Sterling's grappling defense sets up a compelling ground-game chess match
• The stylistic contrast — Zalal as the hunter, Sterling as the experienced, well-rounded veteran — makes this a high-stakes main event at 145 pounds