Youssef Zalal has announced his intention to break Charles Oliveira's record for most submissions in UFC featherweight history, which currently stands at six. Zalal stated he saw the graphic showing Oliveira's record during the Max Holloway fight and realized he needs just two more submission wins to tie it. Zalal currently has four submissions in the featherweight division. He expressed particular interest in submitting Aljamain Sterling, noting that Sterling has never been submitted in his career and has only been finished twice, both by knockout or TKO. Zalal views finishing Sterling by submission as a significant achievement that would bring him great pride.
Youssef Zalal has set his sights on a piece of UFC history, publicly announcing his goal to surpass Charles Oliveira's record for the most submission victories in the featherweight division.
Zalal, 29, competes out of Factory X and currently holds a professional record of 18-6-1. Ranked 12th at featherweight, the American-based Moroccan fighter has built a reputation as a well-rounded threat, averaging 2.17 takedowns per 15 minutes and 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes. He noted that spotting a graphic during the Max Holloway fight brought the record to his attention, and with four featherweight submissions already on his ledger, he needs just two more to tie Oliveira's mark of six.
Oliveira, now competing at lightweight and ranked third in that division, set the featherweight submission record before moving up in weight. The 36-year-old Brazilian has long been regarded as one of the most dangerous submission artists in UFC history, averaging 2.6 submission attempts per 15 minutes across his career.
Zalal also singled out Aljamain Sterling as a particularly meaningful target in his pursuit of the record. Sterling has never been submitted in his career and has been finished only twice, both stoppages coming by knockout or TKO. For Zalal, becoming the first fighter to submit Sterling would represent a significant personal milestone beyond the record chase itself.
Why it matters
- Zalal is just two submissions away from tying Oliveira's featherweight record of six, a benchmark that has stood since Oliveira vacated the division.
- A win over a fighter of Sterling's caliber would carry substantial ranking implications at 145 pounds.
- The style matchup is intriguing: Zalal's active grappling game would be tested against an opponent who has never once been submitted professionally.
