Aljamain Sterling secured a significant victory over Youssef Zalal at UFC Vegas 116, reaffirming his status as a top contender. This win keeps his hopes for two-division gold alive.
Key points
Aljamain Sterling won against Youssef Zalal
The fight took place at UFC Vegas 116
Sterling ended Zalal's eight-fight winning streak
The event was held at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas
Sterling aims for two-division gold
Mentioned in this story
Meta ApexLas Vegas
Aljamain SterlingYoussef ZalalUFC Vegas 116
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Aljamain Sterling isnāt shy about letting people know he was right after his latest win inside the cage.
The former bantamweight champion made his return in the main event of UFC Vegas 116 at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
Sterling kept his bid for two-division gold intact by ending one of the more impressive streaks going in the promotion. Youssef Zalal had won eight straight and was starting to get talked about as a future featherweight title challenger before running into Sterling.
Sterling did not take long to remind fans who doubted him ahead of this fight, given that many expected Zalal to come away with another win against āFunk Masterā.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Sterling has his say after a win over Zalal
Sterlingās move to featherweight came after his knockout loss to Sean OāMalley in 2023, which ended a historic run as bantamweight champion. Since then, heās put together a 3-1 record in the new division, with his only defeat coming against unbeaten contender Movsar Evloev.
Wins over Brian Ortega and now Zalal have pushed Sterling into the title conversation at 145 pounds, even as some continued to question whether he still belonged at that level.
āFunk Masterā clearly noticed the noise around him and addressed it straight after his one-sided win over āThe Moroccan Devilā by writing on X: āEveryone that doubted meā¦. SMD! JUUU HEARDDD?!?! New Yawk Sā!!ā
After an April win over Brian Ortega, Sterling had already called for a fight with Alexander Volkanovski, who was expected to defend next against Movsar Evloev. The Australian had openly said he was looking forward to handing Evloev his first career defeat.
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Q&A
What was the outcome of the fight between Aljamain Sterling and Youssef Zalal?
Aljamain Sterling won the fight against Youssef Zalal, ending Zalal's impressive eight-fight winning streak.
How does Sterling's win affect his title aspirations?
Sterling's victory keeps his bid for two-division gold intact, positioning him as a strong contender in the bantamweight division.
What event did Aljamain Sterling fight at?
Aljamain Sterling fought at UFC Vegas 116, held at the Meta Apex in Las Vegas.
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