Top 5: Fighters on the rise at UFC Vegas 116

TL;DR

Youssef Zalal faces Aljamain Sterling at UFC Fight Night 274, aiming for a title shot in the featherweight division. He leads a group of rising fighters, including Joselyne Edwards, who has achieved four consecutive finishes.

Key points

Youssef Zalal faces Aljamain Sterling at UFC Fight Night 274
Zalal is on an eight-fight winning streak
Joselyne Edwards has four consecutive finishes
UFC Fight Night 274 features a 13-fight lineup
Event takes place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas

Youssef ZalalAljamain SterlingJoselyne EdwardsNorma Dumont

Everything seems to have clicked for Youssef Zalal.

The Marc Montoya protégé faces perhaps his most difficult test to date and tries to move one step closer to contention in the Ultimate Fighting Championship featherweight division when he toes the line against Aljamain Sterling in the UFC Fight Night 274 main event on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Zalal, 29, steps into the spotlight on the strength of a career-best eight-fight winning streak that now spans more than 1,200 days. He last saw action at UFC 320, where he put away Team Alpha Male’s Josh Emmett with an armbar a mere 98 seconds into their Oct. 4 encounter. It was Zalal’s fastest finish as a pro and propelled him into the Top 10 rankings at 145 pounds.

A 13-fight lineup at UFC Fight Night 274 features several fighters on the rise, with Zalal at the front of the line. Four others to monitor:

Joselyne Edwards

Violent predispositions have made Edwards impossible to ignore. The Panamanian hunts her latest potential victim when she zeroes in on Norma Dumont in a three-round women’s bantamweight co-main event that provides a platform for two would-be contenders at 135 pounds. After a rather non-descript start to her UFC tenure, Edwards has hit the accelerator and pieced together a run of four straight victories. All four have resulted in finishes, highlighted by first-round knockouts of Chelsea Chandler and Priscila Cachoeira. Edwards, 30, last suited up on Feb. 21, when she dispatched with a rear-naked choke midway through the second round of their UFC Fight Night 267 pairing. The rep held titles in the and Panama Fight League promotions prior to her arrive in the UFC.

Q&A

Who is Youssef Zalal fighting at UFC Fight Night 274?

Youssef Zalal is fighting Aljamain Sterling in the main event of UFC Fight Night 274.

What is Youssef Zalal's current winning streak?

Youssef Zalal is on an eight-fight winning streak that spans over 1,200 days.

How did Joselyne Edwards perform in her recent fights?

Joselyne Edwards has won her last four fights, all by finishes, including first-round knockouts.

What is the significance of UFC Fight Night 274 for rising fighters?

UFC Fight Night 274 provides a platform for several rising fighters, including Zalal and Edwards, to showcase their skills and move closer to title contention.