‘Championship caliber’: Pros react to Aljamain Sterling’s lopsided UFC Vegas 116 main event win

TL;DR

Aljamain Sterling secured a unanimous decision victory over Youssef Zalal at UFC Vegas 116, solidifying his position as a top featherweight contender. This win marks Sterling's third victory in four fights since moving up to the featherweight division.

Key points

Aljamain Sterling won against Youssef Zalal at UFC Vegas 116
The fight ended in a unanimous decision
Sterling's victory solidifies his contender status in the featherweight division
He has won three of his last four fights at 145 pounds
Sterling's only loss at featherweight was to Movsar Evloev

Aljamain SterlingYoussef ZalalUFC Vegas 116Movsar Evloev

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 25: Aljamain Sterling reacts after a victory against Youssef Zalal of Morocco in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Meta APEX on April 25, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Aljamain Sterling isn’t exiting the title picture anytime soon.

The former bantamweight champion cemented his spot at the front of the featherweight contender line with a unanimous decision win over Youssef Zalal in the main event of UFC Vegas 116 on Saturday. Zalal put up a fight, but in the end Sterling’s overwhelming grappling game saw him control the fight on the mat and score plenty of ground-and-pound to break Zalal over the course of 25 minutes.

Sterling has now won three out of four fights since moving up to 145 pounds, with his lone loss coming at the hands of fellow top contender Movsar Evloev. Whether Sterling did enough to pass Evloev for a shot at Alexander Volkanovski is anyone’s guess, but he once again put on a performance that left his peers impressed.

Check out the pros reactions from social media below.

Great main event from both guys. Aljo just showing his championship caliber, beautiful adjustments and such elite grappling. #ufc

— Ramiz Brahimaj (@170Ramiz) April 26, 2026