Youssef Zalal has set his sights on breaking Charles Oliveira's record for most submissions in featherweight history. When Oliveira fought Max Holloway, a graphic showed Oliveira had the most submissions in featherweight division history with six. Zalal saw his own name on that list and realized he needs just two more submission wins to match the record. He expressed particular pride in the possibility of submitting Aljamain Sterling, noting that Sterling has never been submitted in his career and has only been finished twice via TKO and knockout. The young contender appears motivated to carve out his own legacy in the submission department.
Youssef Zalal has publicly set his sights on owning a piece of featherweight history, announcing his intention to chase down Charles Oliveira's record for the most submissions in the division.
Zalal, known as "The Moroccan Devil," holds a record of 18-6-1 and is currently ranked 12th in the featherweight division. The 29-year-old, who trains out of Factory X, fights out of a switch stance and carries a 72-inch reach. He averages 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes, a number that underscores the grappling-forward identity he is looking to build. After spotting his name on a graphic displayed during a recent Oliveira bout, Zalal noted he is just two submission victories away from matching the record.
The record in question belongs to Charles Oliveira, the Brazilian known as "Do Bronx," who compiled six submission wins during his time at featherweight before moving up to lightweight, where he now sits ranked third at 37-11-0. Now 36, Oliveira averages an aggressive 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes and has established himself as one of the most dangerous grapplers in UFC history across two divisions.
Zalal also singled out Aljamain Sterling as a particularly meaningful target, pointing out that Sterling has never been submitted in his professional career and has only been finished twice, both by strikes. For Zalal, a submission victory over a fighter of that pedigree would carry extra weight in building his legacy.
Why it matters
- Zalal is two submission wins away from matching Oliveira's featherweight divisional record
- Closing that gap would elevate Zalal's profile significantly at 145 pounds and could push him higher than his current ranking of 12th
- His grappling-heavy style sets up a natural contrast against strikers in the division, making matchmaking intriguing
