Youssef
Zalal is confident he will break one of Charles Olveira’s many
records by the time he retires.
Zalal is scheduled to fight Aljamain
Sterling in a featherweight tilt in the main event at
UFC Fight Night 274 on April 25 at the Apex in Las Vegas. Zalal
revealed that he would prefer a submission win over a knockout win
against Sterling. Zalal explains that he is close to Charles
Oliveira’s record of the most submissions in
UFC featherweight history. Zalal also wants to be the first
person to submit Aljamain
Sterling, whose only two stoppage losses have come via
knockouts.
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“[Oliveira] still has the featherweight’s most submissions,” Zalal
told MMAjunkie.com. “And I was like, ‘Damn, I see my
name right there. Two more Youssef, you get tie.’ Nobody ever
submitted Aljamain in his whole career… So, I think if I had to
pick, I would pick that sub.”
Closing In on History
Oliveira holds the record for the most submissions in UFC
featherweight history (six) despite having not competed in the
division for over a decade. The only active UFC fighters in the
second spot with four submissions each are Zalal, Brian
Ortega, and Makwan
Amirkhani. A submission win over Sterling will push Zalal ahead
of Ortega and Amirkhani, right behind Oliveira. Considering
Oliveira is unlikely to compete at featherweight again, Zalal is
confident that he will break “Do Bronx’s” record before he
retires.
“100% [will earn three more submissions before retirement]. I love
Charles,” Zalal said. “Charles is my boy, one of the legends. It
would be an honor just to be in the same conversation.”
Zalal (18-5) was released from the UFC in 2022 after going 3-3-1 in
his first stint. However, “The Moroccan Devil” returned to the
promotion after three consecutive first-round finishes on the
regional circuit. Zalal has since picked up five straight wins in
the UFC with four finishes. Meanwhile, Sterling (25-5) is 2-1 since
moving up to featherweight and comes off a unanimous decision win
over Brian
Ortega.