Aljamain Sterling admitted he came very close to being finished by a guillotine choke from Youssef Zalal during their fight. Sterling described the moment when he thought he would pass out from the submission attempt. Despite the danger, he refused to tap out, stating he couldn't give Zalal the satisfaction of forcing a submission. Sterling explained that he was willing to lose consciousness rather than verbally or physically submit. The revelation highlights how close the fight came to ending and Sterling's extreme competitive mindset in refusing to give up.
Aljamain Sterling has revealed he came within moments of losing consciousness during his fight with Youssef Zalal, admitting the guillotine choke attempt nearly forced a finish before he fought his way out.
Sterling, 36, holds a 26-5-0 professional record and is currently ranked fourth in the featherweight division. The American fighter, who trains out of Serra-Longo Fight Team, has built a reputation as one of the sport's craftiest grapplers, averaging 2.45 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing significant strikes at a rate of 4.45 per minute with 52 percent accuracy. His willingness to endure rather than submit speaks to a competitive mentality that has defined his career at the highest level.
Zalal, nicknamed "The Moroccan Devil," carries an 18-6-1 record and sits at number 12 in the featherweight rankings. The 29-year-old switch-stance fighter trains at Factory X and has shown consistent submission threat throughout his career, averaging 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes. That pressure was clearly on display against Sterling, with the guillotine coming dangerously close to producing a stoppage.
Sterling described the moment openly, saying he was aware he might pass out but refused to tap. He stated he would rather lose consciousness than give Zalal the satisfaction of a submission victory.
Why it matters
- Sterling's frank admission underlines how close Zalal came to a landmark upset over a top-four featherweight
- Zalal's submission volume makes him a legitimate threat to ranked opponents, reinforcing his case for a higher divisional profile
- The exchange highlights the competitive stakes at featherweight, where rankings implications hinge on fine margins inside the cage
