Youssef Zalal likes Yair Rodriguez, Brian Ortega as names to get him to UFC’s next level

February 16, 2025 7:40 pm ET

LAS VEGAS – It’s only been about 30 months since Youssef Zalal was bounced from the UFC after his first stint, but it might as well have been a lifetime ago.

In Zalal’s first stint in the promotion, he had three mostly unassuming decision wins in a row, but then three straight decision losses – starting with one to eventual and current featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in 2020.

After a draw with Da’Mon Blackshear in 2022 left him winless in four fights, he had to work his way back to the big leagues – and he did.

Saturday in the UFC Fight Night 251 co-main event at the UFC Apex, Zalal (17-5-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) won for the seventh straight time, and fourth straight in the UFC since his return, with a decision over Calvin Kattar (23-9 MMA, 7-7 UFC).

In a turnaround, after six straight stoppage wins on the heels of seven straight decisions, Zalal had to settle for a 15-minute grind, even though he envisioned a finish.

“I dream big. I dream big, and I manifest big,” Zalal told MMA Junkie at his post-fight news conference. “I know I manifested the finish, and I’m down about that a little bit (that I didn’t get it). But that doesn’t stop me from dreaming and manifesting, and I’ll keep doing the same thing.”

The names on Zalal’s list since he got back to the UFC have been increasingly solid opponents across from him: Billy Quarantillo, Jarno Errens, Jack Shore and longtime UFC fighter Kattar on Saturday. Zalal thinks he’s building to something big.

In fact, he doesn’t mind skipping a trip to a big pay-per-view if it means he can be the name on the top of the marquee at the UFC’s Apex base-level Fight Night shows.

He even has a pair of names he’d gladly stand across from: former interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez or the man who beat him a year ago in Mexico, Brian Ortega.

“I told you guys in 2024, I want to headline a card at the (UFC) Apex. Obviously, I want to start slow and get my things going.

“There are two names. I know Yair is out there looking for an opponent, and I know Brian is trying to go up to 155. I’m just out here trying to have fun and change my life. These are legends. I want to hear them say ‘He’s an ex-champ’ and stuff like this. I want to be in that conversation. ‘He won against,’ and ‘Title this’ and ‘Title that’ – I just want to keep going. I want to keep giving hope to these upcoming guys who leave the UFC and lose hope. You never lose hope in life.”

Check out Zalal’s full post-fight interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 251.

Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.