UFC Fight Night features Aljamain Sterling, a former champion, on the brink of a title shot. Key matchups include a 35-year-old contender and a heavyweight grappling legend, both needing wins to secure their futures.
Key points
Aljamain Sterling is a former world champion.
A win could lead to a title shot for Sterling.
A 35-year-old contender is fighting for a title shot.
A heavyweight grappling legend needs a win to stay employed.
Fighters face career-defining stakes in this event.
Aljamain SterlingBrian Ortega
UFC Fight Night: Ortega v Sterling
SHANGHAI, CHINA - AUGUST 23: Aljamain Sterling looks on between rounds against Brian Ortega in a 153-pound catchweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Shanghai Indoor Stadium on August 23, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Zuffa LLC
HIGHLIGHTS
A former world champion is one win away from a title shot — and one loss away from a free fall.
A 35-year-old contender and a devastating finisher meet in a fight that could crown the next No. 1 contender.
A 40-year-old veteran and a heavyweight grappling legend both walk in needing a win to stay employed.
The Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal main event on Saturday from the Meta APEX is a huge fight. It's huge for both men and the UFC's featherweight division on a whole. The winner is likely one more win away from a title shot at 145 pounds, and depending on how it plays out, we'll have one of the bigger stories of the year in the promotion.
What's At Stake In Sterling vs. Zalal?
Zalal has been on an epic run. He's won eight fights in a row including five straight in the UFC. He's risen in the rankings on his streak and now has a chance to land in the Top 5. A loss would be a major speed bump on his way to what he hopes is title contention.
Sterling is a former bantamweight champion looking to prove he is a legit title contender at 145 pounds. He's taken some of the fights in the division that others have avoided. The scrap with Zalal is one of those fights. If he wins, it's hard to imagine him not getting a title shot with just one more win. A loss could drop him deeper than a man at this stage of his career would want to go.
Zalal's submission game has been the story of his UFC return. His armbar of Josh Emmett at UFC 320 was the kind of statement finish that moved him from interesting prospect to legitimate threat, and he's now chasing Charles Oliveira's record for most featherweight submissions in UFC history.
Q&A
What is at stake for Aljamain Sterling in the UFC Fight Night?
Aljamain Sterling is one win away from a title shot and one loss away from a significant career setback.
Who are the key fighters in the UFC Fight Night event?
Key fighters include Aljamain Sterling, a 35-year-old contender, and a heavyweight grappling legend, all needing wins to advance their careers.
What does the 35-year-old contender need to achieve in this fight?
The 35-year-old contender is fighting for a chance to become the next No. 1 contender in the division.
How does the outcome of this UFC Fight Night affect the fighters' careers?
The outcomes are critical as they could determine title shots for some and job security for others, especially for the older fighters.
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Sterling’s takedown volume and top pressure have always been his separator, but Zalal's back-take instincts are as good as anyone's in the division right now. If Sterling can't control where this fight takes place, the submission danger is real.
What's At Stake For Norma Dumont And Joselyne Edwards?
Both Dumont and Edwards are on a serious run. The UFC is hungry for legit contenders in the women's bantamweight division as someone will need to step up soon to carry the mantle after Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunes are done. Dumont is already 35.
This could be her last chance to rise into title contention. Edwards has lost battles with the scale en route to Saturday's co-main event spot. She's a devastating finisher when she's right and a win over Dumont would put her within striking distance of a title shot.
With Harrison’s future tied up in the swirl around a potential Rousey showdown, the women's 135-pound division needs someone to force the UFC's hand. Edwards' four stoppage wins at bantamweight are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Nunes and Ronda Rousey, and Dumont's four-fight UFC winning streak is tied for the second-longest active run at 135. One of these two almost has to be next.
What's At Stake In The Rest Of The Main Card?
Hernandez was once thought to be an up-and-coming prospect with a high ceiling. However, a 4-7 run from 2019-24 has lowered expectations immensely. Hernandez is on a four-fight win streak with back-to-back stoppage wins.
If he can get by Garcia, he could be in line to fight a ranked opponent in his next fight. Garcia is another UFC veteran who has had an up-and-down run with the promotion. Like Hernandez, he needs the win to continue his more modest two-fight win streak.
Adrian Luna Martinetti is making his main roster debut after earning a spot on the roster with a unanimous-decision win over Mark Vologdin on Dana White Contender's Series in October 2025. He'll face veteran Davey Grant in a fight that could be make or break for the 40-year-old Englishman.
A loss could lead to his release/retirement. Montel Jackson vs. Raoni Barcelos is a sleeper on the card. The oft-injured Jackson is considered one of the top 135-pounders, but he's coming off a split-decision loss to Deiveson Figueiredo in his last fight. He cannot afford to fall twice in a row.
Ryan Spann is trying to find himself at heavyweight after a tough run at light heavyweight. He defeated Lukasz Brzeski in his last fight by first-round submission, but Marcus Buchecha should be desperate as the celebrated grappler has yet to find the win column in two UFC fights.
The UFC added Marshall vs. Brennan on April 20 after Lucas Rocha was forced out of his flyweight bout with Filho due to injury. Durden stepped in to face Filho, and Brennan — a newcomer with 10 of his 11 wins coming by finish, including eight first-round submissions — got booked to debut against Marshall on short notice.
When And How Can You Watch?
Saturday's card kicks off with prelims at 5 p.m. ET and the main card at 8 p.m. ET. Everything streams live on Paramount+ from the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, which is the UFC's regular Vegas home for non-PPV Fight Nights.
This is the promotion’s return to APEX after last weekend’s Winnipeg stop headlined by Mike Malott's TKO of Gilbert Burns, and it's the final UFC card before UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland two weeks later. Sterling-Zalal is the kind of featherweight fight that's easy to sleep on until it's over — and then everyone's chasing the storylines it produced.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
