Tonight’s UFC Vegas 116 event was headlined by a high stakes featherweight matchup featuring Aljamain Sterling taking on Youssef Zalal.
Sterling (26-5 MMA), the promotion‘s former bantamweight champion, was returning to action for the first time since earning a unanimous decision victory over Brian Ortega this past August in Shanghai, China. Prior to that triumph, ‘Funk Master’ had dropped a decision loss to fellow 145lbs contender Movsar Evloev at UFC 310.
Meanwhile, Youssef Zalal (18-6-1 MMA) had most previously competed this past October, where he scored a first-round submission victory over Josh Emmett (see that here). ‘The Moroccan Devil’ had won eight fights in a row, with 7 of those 8 victories coming by stoppage ahead of tonight’s affair.
This evening’s UFC Vegas 116 main event proved to be a statement making performance for Aljamain Sterling. The former bantamweight champion was able to get the better of Youssef Zalal for the majority of their 25-minute affair, including a dominant fourth round. Although Zalal had some moments, including a solid third round, ‘Funk Master’ was able to fight through all the adversity he faced and cemented his status as a top contender at featherweight.
Official UFC Vegas 116 Results: Aljamain Sterling def. Youssef Zalal by unanimous decision (49-45 x3)
Check out how the pros reacted to ‘Sterling vs. Zalal’ below:
Who would you like to see Sterling fight next following his decision victory over Zalal this evening in Nevada? Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!
