Aljamain Sterling has disclosed that he came close to being defeated by a guillotine choke from Youssef Zalal in their recent fight. Sterling admitted he thought he was about to pass out from the submission attempt but refused to tap. He stated he couldn't allow Zalal the satisfaction of making him submit. The former bantamweight champion's comments reveal just how dangerous the submission attempt was during their bout. Despite the close call, Sterling managed to survive the choke and continue fighting.
Aljamain Sterling has revealed that he came perilously close to being finished by a guillotine choke from Youssef Zalal during their recent featherweight bout, admitting he genuinely believed he was on the verge of losing consciousness before fighting through the submission attempt.
Sterling, nicknamed "Funk Master," holds a 26-5-0 professional record and is ranked fourth in the featherweight division. The 36-year-old from the Serra-Longo Fight Team is a former bantamweight champion who has since moved up to 145 pounds, carrying a striking accuracy of 52 percent and averaging 4.45 significant strikes per minute. Despite his grappling pedigree, Sterling was candid about how close the moment came to ending his night, stating he refused to give Zalal the satisfaction of forcing a tap.
Zalal, known as "The Moroccan Devil," enters the conversation as a credible submission threat. The 29-year-old Factory X product carries an 18-6-1 record and sits at number 12 in the featherweight rankings. Standing five-foot-ten with a 72-inch reach, he averages 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes, a rate that underscores the danger he poses on the ground. He also contributes offensively on the feet, connecting at 50 percent accuracy while landing 3.03 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Sterling's admission highlights genuine vulnerability in a fight many may have assumed he controlled throughout
- Zalal's submission threat — over one attempt per 15 minutes — proved legitimate against a former champion with strong grappling credentials
- The result and its details carry weight in the featherweight top-15 picture, with Sterling ranked fourth and Zalal twelfth
- A near-finish of a ranked fighter elevates Zalal's profile considerably in a competitive 145-pound division
