UFC Vegas 116 results: Aljamain Sterling dominates Youssef Zalal
The UFC Vegas 1116 main event was not close.
Aljamain Sterling is coming for Alexander Volkanovski 's ass – "no pause," or so he says. At UFC Fight Night 274 on Saturday, Sterling (26-5 MMA, 18-5 UFC) dominated Youssef Zalal (18-6-1 MMA, 8-4-1 UFC) en route to a unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45). The featherweight bout headlined the event at Meta APEX in Las Vegas.
Sterling opened up on the feet from the opening bell, looking loose and flowy. But it'd ultimately be his grappling that would prove to be a big difference maker. Outside of some Round 3 success from Zalal, Sterling proved to be the much stronger grappler.
He found himself at home on Zalal's back, utilizing his signature body triangle and working for a rear-naked choke. In Round 4 in particular, Zalal looked widely uncomfortable as Sterling worked to end the fight. With the win, Sterling moves a step closer to challenging for gold in a second UFC division.
Regarded as one of the best bantamweight fighters ever, Sterling defended the UFC bantamweight championship three times. After a loss to Sean O'Malley , he moved to featherweight where he has gone 3-1. Having won back-to-back fights, Sterling has positioned himself for something even bigger next time out.