Aljamain Sterling overwhelms Youssef Zalal. Aljamain Sterling delivered a dominant, suffocating performance against Youssef Zalal in the UFC Vegas 116 main event. On April 25, 2026, inside the UFC Apex, the UFC delivered a compelling main event as former champion Aljamain Sterling faced surging contender Youssef Zalal in a fight that carried serious implications.
Sterling entered the bout with the resume of a proven elite. He picked up a big win over Brian Ortega in August 2025. Before that, he suffered a decision loss to Movsar Evloev in December 2024. Earlier, he defeated Calvin Kattar in 2024, showing his ability to control tough, durable opponents. Even with those mixed results, Sterling still held an impressive 25–5 record before this fight. This record is backed by championship experience and wins over top names.
Zalal’s story was the complete opposite. After an earlier UFC run where he went 3-3-1, Zalal rebuilt himself outside the promotion and came back stronger. He returned and quickly stacked wins, including victories over Calvin Kattar and Josh Emmett in UFC 320. He entered this fight on an impressive winning streak, many by submission. His record stood at 18–5–1, with a strong finishing rate, especially on the ground.
Round one started and Sterling wasted little time testing the waters, shooting for an early takedown, but Zalal defended well and forced a reset in the center. Moments later, Sterling used a slick calf kick to knock Zalal off balance and quickly followed him to the ground. From top position, Sterling began working his grappling game, while Zalal threatened from the bottom with triangle attempts. The round closed with Sterling in control, landing knees to the body and asserting early dominance.
In round two Zalal came out more aggressive, pressing forward and nearly landing a dangerous step-in knee that could have changed the fight. He also found some success with his jab while creating space. But in the twinkle of an eye, that aggression cost him. Sterling capitalized on an opening, secured another takedown, and quickly transitioned to the back. With a tight body triangle locked in, Sterling then started to unleash steady punches.
Round four gave Zalal his best moment as he managed to create scrambles and even threatened with a tight guillotine choke that briefly put Sterling in trouble. For a moment, it looked like the momentum might shift. But Sterling stayed calm, escaped the danger, and worked his way back into control, preventing Zalal from fully capitalizing on the opportunity.
By the final round, Sterling was firmly in control. He continued mixing grappling with measured striking, keeping Zalal on the defensive. While Zalal showed resilience, he struggled to escape Sterling’s control or even create meaningful offense late in the fight. Sterling closed the fight strong, sealing a dominant performance.
“Give me my shot,” Sterling shouted. “I’ve worked so hard for this. I’ve been with this company for 12 years. That was my 23rd UFC fight. I’ve only fought three unranked guys since I got signed to this company. My third fight in the UFC was the sixth ranked guy in the world and I haven’t looked back since. “So put some motherf*cking respect on my name when I say I’m next in line for that motherf*cking title shot. Everybody else — D-Generation X: Suck it.”
“All I’ve got to say, give it up to Aljamain Sterling,” Zalal said. “He did a fantastic f*cking job. I’ll be back. I did come back before and I’ll come back again.”
Zalal had moments, especially in Round 3 but Sterling’s experience, composure, and relentless grappling told the real story. He didn’t rush, didn’t panic, and once he found control, he never let it go. It was a clinical, calculated, and dominant performance by Sterling and by the end of the night, Sterling didn’t just win, he reminded everyone exactly what elite-level control looks like.
