Youssef Zalal is set for the biggest spotlight of his career, as he meets former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling in the main event of UFC Fight Night 274 on Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
The matchup marks Zalal’s first UFC main event and comes amid a major surge in form. After previously exiting the promotion following a three-fight skid that included a 2022 draw with Da'Mon Blackshear, Zalal returned to the UFC in 2024 riding a three-fight finishing streak from the regional scene.
Since then, Zalal has extended his momentum. In October, he submitted Josh Emmett with a 98-second armbar, the quickest finish of both his UFC tenure and his career. He now enters UFC Fight Night 274 on an eight-fight winning streak overall and a five-fight winning streak inside the UFC.
A victory over Sterling at UFC Fight Night 274 would push Zalal’s run to nine straight wins and six in a row in the UFC.
