Sterling faces Zalal with betting odds favoring former bantamweight champion

Aljamain Sterling is set to fight Youssef Zalal with bookmakers listing Sterling as the favorite. Zalal earned recognition for his first-round submission victory over Emmett and for being the only fighter to win a round against Ilia Topuria in Topuria's debut, though Topuria was on short notice after recovering from COVID. The preview notes Zalal has not faced elite wrestlers, having spent a round running from Calvin Kattar. Sterling's recent form includes a dominant performance against Kattar, a close fight with Movsar Evloev, and a victory over Brian Ortega despite injuring his hand in the first round. The analysis suggests Sterling's wrestling credentials and recent performances should make him the favorite despite Zalal's solid grappling skills.