Aljamain Sterling revealed during a Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show appearance that Aaron Pico has been booked to fight Youssef Zalal in the UFC featherweight division. Sterling disclosed the matchup while discussing the options the UFC had floated to him as potential next opponents, noting Pico was already spoken for. The revelation came alongside mentions of Kevin Vallejos as another name the promotion pitched to Sterling for his next outing.
Details of a potential UFC featherweight matchup between Aaron Pico and Youssef Zalal emerged in an unexpected way, surfacing through comments made by Aljamain Sterling on a Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show appearance. Sterling, while discussing names the UFC had pitched to him as possible next opponents, mentioned that Pico was already spoken for — revealing the pairing in the process. The matchup has not been officially confirmed by the promotion.
Pico, 29, carries a 14-5 record and sits ranked twelfth in the featherweight division. Training out of Jackson-Wink MMA, the American stands five-foot-eight with a 70-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. He is a notable threat on the mat, averaging nearly nine takedowns per 15 minutes — a figure that stands among the highest in the division.
Zalal, also 29, holds an 18-6-1 record and is ranked eighth at featherweight, making him the higher-ranked fighter in this reported pairing. Known as "The Moroccan Devil," the Factory X product stands five-foot-ten with a 72-inch reach and switches stances. He blends a grappling game — averaging 2.17 takedowns and 1.4 submission attempts per 15 minutes — with a striking accuracy rate of 50 percent.
Sterling also mentioned Kevin Vallejos as another name the promotion had floated to him. Vallejos, ranked ninth in the division at just 24 years old, carries an 18-1 record out of Argentina and trains with Brothers of Life MMA. He averages an eye-catching 6.12 significant strikes per minute, suggesting the UFC views him as a live option in featherweight matchmaking discussions.
Why it matters
- Pico vs. Zalal would pit the twelfth-ranked fighter against the eighth, with clear rankings movement on the line for the winner.
- Pico's elite takedown volume against Zalal's well-rounded grappling and submission threat sets up a compelling stylistic clash on the mat.
- The disclosure came through a third party rather than an official announcement, so the bout should be treated as unconfirmed until the UFC makes a formal statement.
