Youssef Zalal releases statement on loss in UFC Vegas 116 headliner

Youssef Zalal is in good spirits following his loss to Aljamain Sterling in the UFC Vegas 116 main event. Zalal dropped a unanimous decision to the former bantamweight champ on Saturday night at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Sterling controlled the majority of the action with a blend of aggressive striking and dominant grappling, bringing an end to Zalal’s eight-fight professional winning streak.

Zalal reacted to the loss on social media, posting a photo of himself surrounded by loved ones on his Instagram account. “Alhamdulillah!! Thank you guys for all the support,” Zalal wrote.

“I’ll be back. Keep smiling. ” Sterling then replied with a message of his own in the comments.

"Always love my brotha! You pushed me to new limits and I hope I pushed you too! Wallahi you will be champion one day!