UFC Vegas 116 preview and predictions: Aljamain Sterling or Youssef Zalal — who wins?

Featherweight contenders aim to advance toward a title shot this Saturday at UFC Vegas 116, when former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling collides with Youssef Zalal. Meta Apex events admittedly stand out much more these days — and not for the better — yet their main events, more often than not, can be counted on to hold some value. That’s where Sterling vs.

Zalal comes in — a fight between a former champ seeking one last chance at glory and a rising contender who had to leave the UFC entirely before finding his footing. On top of all that, they’ve trained together extensively, as recently as last year. The co-main event also carries subtle intrigue, more for the surprising fact that UFC, for once, has chosen not to bury female contenders entirely.

Norma Dumont returns, doing her best to hold on as bantamweight’s clear top contender who still can’t earn a title shot to save her life. She’ll look to extend her win streak while ending Joselyne Edwards’ own. 👑 UFC Vegas 116’s lineup Crown grade: D+.

👑 Betting odds via BetMGM . Aljamain Sterling is aiming for one more title run, but this time at featherweight. Jeff Bottari via Getty Images 145 pounds: Aljamain Sterling (+115) vs.