Latest news with #YoussefZalal
Morocco World
6 days ago
- Sport
- Morocco World
Morocco's Youssef Zalal Breaks into UFC Featherweight Top 10
Moroccan mixed martial artist Youssef Zalal has entered the UFC featherweight top 10 for the first time, ranking ninth following a unanimous decision win over Calvin Kattar at UFC Fight Night 251 in Las Vegas. Zalal, 28, becomes the first Moroccan fighter to reach the top 10 in any UFC division. His professional record stands at 17 wins, five losses and one draw. He made his UFC debut in 2020 with a win over Austin Lingo but was released in 2022. Zalal returned in March 2024 and has since recorded four consecutive victories, including a submission win over Billy Quarantillo with a rear-naked choke. Nicknamed 'The Moroccan Devil,' Zalal is known for his ability to combine striking and grappling. He also handed current champion Ilia Topuria his UFC debut in a bout that went to a decision in Topuria's favour. Zalal's recent form could get him a title shot soon.
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Coach Marc Montoya discusses UFC contender Youssef Zalal's incredible career turnaround
Youssef Zalal went from being cut by the UFC to a ranked featherweight contender. Zalal (17-5-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) kicked off his first UFC tenure 3-0. However, he went on to lose three straight – including a decision to Ilia Topuria, followed by a majority draw that led to his UFC release. During his time away from the octagon, Zalal took part in a one-day competition, which included three combat sports: Boxing, kickboxing, and MMA. Zalal won all three fights and the tournament before getting a short-notice call to make his UFC return. Zalal submitted Billy Quarantillo, Jarno Errens, and Jack Shore before drawing perennial contender Calvin Kattar at UFC Fight Night 251 in February. Zalal won the bout by unanimous decision. His head coach, Marc Montoya, explains how Zalal was able to turn his career around. "With Youssef, we had a lot of success early in his first run in the UFC, he was 3-0," Montoya told MMA Junkie Radio. "Unfortunately he caught some failure after that. Some of it was short-notice stuff, some of it was some inexperience, and some of it was just timing, and it just didn't work out. So, where I saw it the most was on the regional scene. He did this tournament where he would fight three times in one night. "You box first, you do kickboxing second, and then you do MMA third. If you lose the boxing match, you don't get paid any money. If you win the kickboxing match, you advance to MMA. But, if you lose the kickboxing match, you get paid very little, as well. The risk there was super high, but what I saw in the training there was just his evolution already leading up to all of that. Not just physically, but mentally." Zalal now finds himself in the UFC's featherweight rankings after his win over Kattar. Montoya had the 28-year-old Moroccan level up during training camp. "When we just fought Kattar, I brought in Olympic-level boxers for him," Montoya said. "He trained with (Justin) Gaethje and (Cory) Sandhagen, and of course all his teammates at Factory X. But we just put all these obstacles in front of him and allowed him to work through some of that. It's not like he always succeeds in all of it instantly. "But what he's learned from his first stint in the UFC was, if I'm going to fail, I've got to learn from my failure, and I can do that quickly. I don't need to wait until I get in the cage to do that, and I think that's one of the things that's helped him a lot in his mental transition to get to where he is now." Youssef Zalal likes Yair Rodriguez, Brian Ortega as names to get him to UFC's next level Youssef Zalal accuses Calvin Kattar of greasing at UFC Fight Night 251 Youssef Zalal gets motivation from 15 minutes with UFC champ Ilia Topuria UFC Fight Night 246 video: Youssef Zalal cracks Jack Shore with knee, taps him with choke This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Coach Marc Montoya discusses UFC contender Youssef Zalal's incredible career turnaround
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dominick Cruz, Bruce Buffer, Keyshawn Davis in studio, Song Yadong, Youssef Zalal The Ariel Helwani Show
The Ariel Helwani Show is BACK ... IN ... YOUR ... LIFE! Ariel and The Boys In The Back break down the latest in the combat sports world. Monday's lineup can be seen below: 1 p.m. ET: Ariel and the gang react to the busy weekend. 1:40 p.m. ET: Youssef Zalal stops by after his big UFC Vegas 102 win over Calvin Kattar. 2 p.m. ET: Bruce Buffer, the UFC's legendary "Voice of the Octagon," joins the program. 2:30 p.m. ET: Keyshawn Davis joins us in-studio following his WBO lightweight title win over Denys Berinchyk. 3:45 p.m. ET: Song Yadong previews his UFC Seattle main event against Henry Cejudo. 4:15 p.m. ET: Dominick Cruz returns following his official MMA retirement.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Feb. 18: Youssef Zalal darts into featherweight top 15
UFC Fight Night 251 took place this past Saturday at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, producing a few updates across multiple divisions. In the main event, former title challenger Jared Cannonier overcame early scares from Gregory Rodrigues to score a fourth-round TKO. In the co-feature, Youssef Zalal picked up the biggest win of his career by defeating Calvin Kattar. As a result, Zalal enters the featherweight rankings at No. 14, while Kattar falls one spot behind. Check out all the latest pound-for-pound and divisional USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, Feb. 18: Youssef Zalal darts into featherweight top 15
USA Today
17-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Youssef Zalal likes Yair Rodriguez, Brian Ortega as names to get him to UFC's next level
LAS VEGAS – It's only been about 30 months since Youssef Zalal was bounced from the UFC after his first stint, but it might as well have been a lifetime ago. In Zalal's first stint in the promotion, he had three mostly unassuming decision wins in a row, but then three straight decision losses – starting with one to eventual and current featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in 2020. After a draw with Da'Mon Blackshear in 2022 left him winless in four fights, he had to work his way back to the big leagues – and he did. Saturday in the UFC Fight Night 251 co-main event at the UFC Apex, Zalal (17-5-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) won for the seventh straight time, and fourth straight in the UFC since his return, with a decision over Calvin Kattar (23-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC). In a turnaround, after six straight stoppage wins on the heels of seven straight decisions, Zalal had to settle for a 15-minute grind, even though he envisioned a finish. 'I dream big. I dream big, and I manifest big,' Zalal told MMA Junkie at his post-fight news conference. 'I know I manifested the finish, and I'm down about that a little bit (that I didn't get it). But that doesn't stop me from dreaming and manifesting, and I'll keep doing the same thing.' The names on Zalal's list since he got back to the UFC have been increasingly solid opponents across from him: Billy Quarantillo, Jarno Errens, Jack Shore and longtime UFC fighter Kattar on Saturday. Zalal thinks he's building to something big. In fact, he doesn't mind skipping a trip to a big pay-per-view if it means he can be the name on the top of the marquee at the UFC's Apex base-level Fight Night shows. He even has a pair of names he'd gladly stand across from: former interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez or the man who beat him a year ago in Mexico, Brian Ortega. 'I told you guys in 2024, I want to headline a card at the (UFC) Apex. Obviously, I want to start slow and get my things going. 'There are two names. I know Yair is out there looking for an opponent, and I know Brian is trying to go up to 155. I'm just out here trying to have fun and change my life. These are legends. I want to hear them say 'He's an ex-champ' and stuff like this. I want to be in that conversation. 'He won against,' and 'Title this' and 'Title that' – I just want to keep going. I want to keep giving hope to these upcoming guys who leave the UFC and lose hope. You never lose hope in life.' Check out Zalal's full post-fight interview above. For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 251. Gallery UFC Fight Night 251: Best photos from Las Vegas View 111 photos
