*This content was translated by AI.
Youssef Zalal (29, Morocco), who had vowed to fight for his older brother who passed away early in a drunk-driving traffic accident, suffered a painful defeat in his first UFC main event.
Zalal, ranked seventh in the UFC featherweight division, lost by unanimous decision (45-49, 45-49, 45-49) to fifth-ranked Aljamain Sterling (36, USA) at the main event of 'UFC Fight Night: Sterling vs. Zalal' held at the Meta Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, on the 26th (Korean time).
Before the match, Zalal had vowed, "I will fight for my older brother, who passed away at age 18 after being hit by a drunk-driving vehicle. He is always a part of me," and added, "I will fight until the day I die for him."
However, Zalal could not withstand Sterling's overwhelming performance, which was clearly superior. After showing a skill gap on the ground, Zalal lost by a 0-3 decision. According to UFC, Sterling held a favorable position for more than half of the fight, lasting 13 minutes and 49 seconds.
The atmosphere at the start of the match was not bad. Zalal pressured Sterling with jabs utilizing his long reach.
It was painful when Zalal lost his balance and fell in the middle of the first round while attempting a kick, caught by Sterling's calf kick. Seizing the opportunity, Sterling immediately took a top position and unleashed a barrage of ground-and-pound strikes.
The second round was also Sterling's pace. Taking advantage of a missed punch by Zalal in the latter part of the round, Sterling secured a back position and locked in a body triangle, forcing Zalal to the ground.
Zalal threw his all in the third round, countering Sterling's takedown attempt with a guillotine choke in hopes of a dramatic comeback. Although there were critical moments where Sterling appeared to be in distress, lying face down on the mat, Sterling skillfully escaped the danger and blocked Zalal's offense.
As the fight progressed, the skill gap became clear. Immediately after the start of the fourth round, Sterling successfully executed a takedown and dominated for over four minutes, attempting a rear-naked choke and an unconventional submission from behind Zalal's back.
In the final fifth round, Zalal showcased an aggressive game plan to turn the tide, but Sterling responded intelligently with clinches and takedowns to burn time. With victory assured just 30 seconds before the end, Sterling even smiled at the camera, showing a sense of ease.
After the match, Sterling named his next opponent, saying, "Alexander Volkanovski, I'm coming for you." He also expressed respect for Zalal, whom he is already close with, stating, "I know it's difficult to finish him with a choke because I've trained with him."
In response, Zalal said, "I congratulate Sterling on his victory. It was an incredible performance," and raised Sterling's hand.
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*This content was translated by AI.
