“Funkmaster” isn’t expecting an easy night — even if he sounds like he is.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion-turned Featherweight contender Aljamain Sterling headlines UFC Vegas 116 this weekend (Sat., April 25, 2026) against No. 7-ranked Youssef Zalal inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Despite sitting as a slight +105 underdog, Sterling is confident the experience gap will show. While he acknowledges Zalal’s well-rounded skill set, he believes the rising contender
is in over his head.
“I didn’t get here by accident and this is no cake walk for Youssef Zalal — and if he thinks it’s going to be easy, he’s got a rude awakening coming this Saturday,” Sterling said. “I’m giving it everything I got. He’s a young gun and I’ve got to break him in there. Simple as that. The goal is to go in there, dominate and break the dude.”
Part of Sterling’s confidence stems from Zalal’s past exit from the promotion. “The Moroccan Devil” was released in 2022 after going 3-3-1, something Sterling hasn’t forgotten.
“Youssef is good but shit, man, I’ve been doing this for a very long time,” Sterling said during UFC Vegas 116 media day. “I didn’t have to get cut and make my way back and he did. He had to dig deep to do that. I think it’s two different mental attitudes right? He could have gone to the regional circuit and maybe lost but he decided to come back. For me, I’ve been knocked down, knocked out, built myself up and here I am today — became a champion and tied for the most title defenses and have the most wins in Bantamweight history.”
Sterling is 2-1 since moving up to Featherweight, with his lone loss coming in a razor-close fight against top contender Movsar Evloev. A win here could push him into the mix for a second title run.
Meanwhile, Zalal has been red-hot since returning, going 5-0 with five submission wins, including a blistering finish of Josh Emmett in under two minutes (watch highlights) — making him just the second fighter to submit the veteran.
The stakes are high, and the margin for error is thin — whoever loses is taking a big step back in a loaded division.
To checkout the latest UFC Vegas 116 fight card and rumors click here.
