REPORT: Aljamain Sterling set to headline UFC Vegas 116 vs. featherweight on 9-fight unbeaten streak

Former UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling’s long wait for a featherweight booking is reportedly over.

Former UFC champion Aljamain Sterling is on the verge of a potential featherweight title shot after a dominant win over former title challenger Brian Ortega at UFC Shanghai last year. Sterling moved to 2-1 since making the full-time move to featherweight, defeating Calvin Kattar at UFC 300 before losing to Movsar Evloev at UFC 310.

Sterling recently complained publicly about the UFC’s alleged delay in booking him another featherweight fight. He accused the UFC brass of ‘rooting for him to lose’ as Sterling has had a checkered relationship with some of the matchmakers.

Sterling, a native New Yorker, seemed like a fit for the UFC’s upcoming card in Newark, New Jersey. But the UFC reportedly has other plans for Sterling: a UFC main event booking against one of the division’s rising stars.

Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal set to headline UFC Vegas 116

Sterling will reportedly fight UFC featherweight contender Youssef Zalal in the UFC Vegas 116 main event on April 25th. MMA journalist Leo Guimaraes was the first to report the news of Sterling vs. Zalal.

As of this writing, the UFC hasn’t officially announced the fight. UFC CEO Dana White announced the promotion’s White House card last weekend at the UFC 326 post-fight press conference, and the matchmakers will now turn their attention towards their other upcoming events.

Zalal returns to the Octagon after submitting Josh Emmett at UFC 320 in October. After going winless in four-straight fights, Zalal has won his last eight bouts, including recent victories over Calvin Kattar, Jack Shore, and Billy Quarantillo.

Sterling vs. Zalal pits two of the featherweight division’s top grapplers against one another in a pivotal matchup at 145 lbs. The full UFC Vegas 116 fight lineup is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

What is your prediction for Aljamain Sterling vs. Youssef Zalal? Let us know in the comments!