Under the radar no more, featherweight contender Youssef Zalal believes he's on the verge of a UFC title shot

For all of the talent Youssef Zalal showcased upon his UFC debut in 2020, winning his first three fights in the span of six months, what he lacked was purpose. 

And it caught up with him fast. 

Over the next two years, Zalal (18-5-1) went winless over a span of four fights and suddenly found himself cut from the promotion. 

"I was just young and dumb [with] nothing but talent," Zalal told CBS Sports HQ on Monday. "Obviously, there was the hard work, as well, but I was just young and dumb. I was trying to just not embarrass myself. I had to grow purpose. I found my purpose and followed my why and here we are."

The why in question was a specific goal -- to become UFC champion at 145 pounds -- and the native of Casablanca, Morocco, immediately began a run to chase it that has led him into the main event of Saturday's UFC Fight Night card from the Meta APEX in Las Vegas (8 p.m. ET, Paramount+) against former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (25-5) in a featherweight bout with possible title implications for the winner. 

The 29-year-old Zalal, nicknamed "The Moroccan Devil," has won an impressive eight straight fights since his 2022 UFC release, including seven by stoppage and all five since his return to the promotion in 2024. In doing so, he has become a legitimate darkhorse threat to Alexander Volkanovski's crown thanks to his mix of high-energy offense and constant submission threats.

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Even the one fight he failed to record a finish in during that stretch -- against Calvin Kattar in 2025 when he was accused by fans of running -- the No. 7-ranked Zalal applied a noticeable course correction in light of the criticism eight months later when he needed just 98 seconds to submit former interim title challenger Josh Emmett in what served as a wake-up call to the rest of the division. 

"I will be a world champion, mark my words," Zalal said. "I love that. I love that I'm just that guy that nobody knows [who is] slowly coming for that reaction of people's faces after my fights. It's the best. [Their reaction] is like, 'Wow, Youssef, you are pretty good and you are so close [to a title shot]. Wow.' I love that feeling and it just motivates me to make them feel that way.

"I don't know [why fans are sleeping on him]. I wish I could tell you but I don't know. I'm just following me and doing me. With the Josh Emmett fight, a lot of people's faces [thought] that I got lucky. Well, I can't wait to just keep getting luckier and luckier. Everybody's face is going to be so shocked."

Zalal's turnaround has even drawn praise from this weekend's opponent, the 36-year-old Sterling, years after the two formerly served as training partners in 2017. The No. 5-ranked Sterling, who caught up with CBS Sports on Monday, is 2-1 since returning to featherweight in 2024, with his only loss coming via razor-thin decision to top contender Movsar Evloev in a fight that might have lifted him to a shot at a second title in as many divisions had he won. 

"[Zalal is] just a guy who believes in himself a lot more," Sterling said. "Youssef has turned a corner in his mind, mentally. I always thought the skills were there. When he went on that tough run, I always knew he could come back to the UFC and sure enough, he did that in a very big way. He's an athlete, he moves well, light on his toes. He's a sniper and doesn't like to use up too much energy. I'm going to have to chase him down and go hunting."

Despite the fact that Zalal went just 4-5-1 between 2019 and 2022, all five career defeats came by decision (including two that were split). Not only has Zalal found his focus point during his current 8-0 stretch, he has figured out how to efficiently balance the threat of his offense without leaving himself open to be hit.

To do that, Zalal relies on constant movement amid the threat of a surprise attack. It has gone a long way in helping him record submissions in five of his last six fights and has left him motivated to become the first opponent in Sterling's 30-bout career to force him to tap out.  

"I'm pushing for that one!" Zalal said. "If it happens, it happens. A lot of people sleep on my grappling. What excites me the most is the puzzle. I've never faced a guy like [Sterling] with the awkwardness and the strikes he throws. For me, I'm very excited and I can't wait. I can't wait!"

It's a goal that certainly won't be easy, however. 

A former NCAA Division III All-American wrestler at SUNY Cortland, Sterling has evolved into one of the most dangerous ground specialists in the promotion over the last decade thanks to his top control and ability to end the fight just about instantly should he take your back (which Sterling did to Corey Sandhagen in just 88 seconds in 2020). 

Although Sterling captured the UFC bantamweight title by disqualification in a 2020 fight he was losing, he went on to record a trio of title defenses against former champions Petr Yan, TJ Dillashaw and Henry Cejudo and before losing his belt via TKO against Sean O'Malley in 2023 (when Sterling rushed back too early from injury). Sterling is the all-time wins leader in UFC bantamweight history with 14 but finds himself as a small betting underdog against Zalal. 

The fight is not only Zalal's first UFC headlining role, it's the first time in 24 pro fights that he's scheduled for the five-round distance, which has long been the litmus test for aspiring title challengers like himself. But Zalal remains undaunted and he referenced his 2020 bout against future two-division UFC champion Ilia Topuria (who was making his promotional debut) where Zalal dropped a close decision and looked like the fresher fighter down the stretch.

 "[Fighting five rounds] motivates me," Zalal said. "A lot of people forget, when I fought Ilia Topuria, if we had a fourth and fifth round, that's going to be a whole different story. But for me, it excites me. This is what gets me ready for a world title shot. This is the time for me to shut all of the doubters out and prove myself in this division."

Throughout all of the ups and downs thus far in his career, Zalal credits his ability to keep smiling -- no matter what -- as the method behind his newfound winning ways. And should he score the biggest win of his career against Sterling, the infectiously optimistic Zalal believes that he's a lot closer to a title shot than people realize.

"[I'm] not that far, my man, not that far! And you know it!" Zalal said. "You are saying that, so you know I'm not that far. I can see it in all of the doubters' faces and I just can't wait!"