Aljamain Sterling is set to face Youssef Zalal in an upcoming bout. Zalal gained recognition for his first-round submission victory over Emmett and for winning the final round against Ilia Topuria in Topuria's debut fight, when Topuria was fighting on short notice after recovering from COVID. While Zalal possesses solid striking and strong grappling skills, he has not faced elite wrestlers and notably ran from Calvin Kattar for an entire round. Sterling should be favored based on his recent performances, including dominating that same Kattar, having a competitive fight with Evloev, and defeating Ortega despite suffering a hand injury in the first round. The analysis suggests Sterling's experience against top competition gives him the advantage despite Zalal's potential.
