Youssef Zalal is feeling on top of the world as he prepares for his first UFC co-main event this Saturday against Calvin Kattar at UFC Vegas 102.
Just 11 months ago, he fought his way back to the Octagon with the first of three stoppage victories, leading to this chance to secure a place in the featherweight rankings.
Zalal was let go from the UFC in 2022 after a tough seven-fight run. His first UFC stint started strong with three wins in 2020, but after facing the division’s future champion, Ilia Topuria, he went on a losing streak with three losses and a draw, which led to his release.
“I would kill the last version of me that people saw in the UFC,” Zalal says ahead of UFC Vegas 102, reflecting on his first time in the organization.
“I’m telling you, that version of me would not have fun with the current version of me. We’re the same in terms of talent and hard work and things like that, but my mentality is what’s really changed from who I am today and the last version everyone saw.”
Zalal’s transformation hasn’t happened overnight. For the Moroccan featherweight, experience has played a big role in his growth. His focus has shifted from just showing off his skills to proving that he belongs at the top — something he had to do during his last performance outside the UFC.
Did not waste any time
After his UFC exit, “The Moroccan Devil” didn’t waste time feeling sorry for himself. He quickly got back to work, and three months later, he was back to winning after competing for a Colorado-based promotion called Sparta. Another win came two months later, and suddenly, fighters in the regional MMA scene weren’t eager to face him.
UFC matchmakers told Zalal that new talent would be prioritized over him being re-signed. However, when he saw an ad for a Sparta tournament in August 2023 with a $10,000 prize for the winner, he couldn’t resist the challenge.
As the most well-known name in the tournament, Zalal earned the No. 1 seed. What made this event unique was that each round would take place in a different discipline. The first round would be boxing, the second round would be kickboxing, and the final round would be MMA.
The lowest-seeded fighter in the tournament, unlike the rest of the competitors, was a boxer.
And, well, you can guess what happened next.
“The first round was fing boxing, and I’ve got to face him,” recalls Zalal, his eyes lighting up when the tournament is mentioned. “I was sting my pants, bro. All of the other guys got to fight kickboxers and MMA fighters in boxing, and I get stuck fighting a legit boxer in a boxing match. I had no other choice but to get after it.”
“I was so nervous for that fight against the boxer — as soon as I beat him, I was celebrating like I won the whole thing. Coach was calming me down like, ‘Yo, you need to chill out, we need to get you in the back.’ I was like, ‘What do you mean?’ Bro, I legit forgot I was fighting in a tournament!”
Zalal then claimed another win in the semifinal kickboxing round before facing a long wait, which he said was the toughest part of the entire experience.
“The three-hour wait, that’s the one that sucked,” he says. “The adrenaline dump happens and then you have to get it back up. You start reevaluating your whole life and thinking, ‘Well, this is where we’re at now,’ but we got it done.”
Zalal went on to secure a first-round submission win over Vadim Zadnipryanyi, claiming the Sparta tournament championship. He knew that his teammate, Dustin Jacoby, had won the same tournament before and earned a Contender Series call-up. Zalal hoped his one-night performance would lead to the same opportunity.
Another Chance
After his tournament win, Zalal was given a chance to try out for an upcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” He made it through the process but was told he would be selected as an alternate, not a cast member.
It was a clear disappointment, but as the saying goes, when one door closes, another opens.
“I was like, ‘Oh great, I did all of this for nothing,’” says Zalal. “But then 24 hours later I get the call for a short-notice fight against Billy Quarantillo.”
Taking advantage of this unexpected second chance, Zalal, 28, submitted Quarantillo to start what would become one of the best 2024 campaigns for any fighter on the UFC roster. He added two more submission victories over Jarno Errens and Jack Shore within the same year, both of which earned him Performance of the Night bonuses. Now, less than a year after that surprise call-up, Zalal is aiming for a spot among the top featherweights if he can defeat No. 10 Kattar.
Kattar has been a mainstay in the featherweight rankings for the past five years, but he is currently on a three-fight losing streak. Zalal knows that his own comeback started under similar circumstances, so he remains cautious when facing his most experienced opponent to date.
“That’s what makes him dangerous, I have to recognize that and take it into account,” Zalal says. “There’s always confidence, I know what I’m capable of and I know the pressure that I put on myself. That’s why I said I’d be the first person to finish him and all that stuff.
“The pressure this kid [has right now] to come in and win is huge. This is a guy who has fought the best of the best, and he knows there are expectations on him coming into this. I know that mentality and I know it’s dangerous for me to go in and face a guy who has his back to the wall. I know he’s going to be packing heat in those punches, and I’m excited to try figure out that puzzle.”
Zalal is confident he can continue his career turnaround in Las Vegas, and if he does, he has big goals for the rest of the year.
“I want to headline in 2025. I will headline in 2025,” Zalal promises. “We’re manifesting this and it will happen. If that’s not the next fight, I want the next one to be on a pay-per-view or in an arena. When me and Jack Shore fought, we woke up the entire nation of Canada. I want to do that again.”
