LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 14: Youssef Zalal of Morocco poses on the size through the UFC Combat Evening weigh-in on the Palace Station Resort & On line casino on February 14, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Picture by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
UFC Vegas 102’s co-main occasion, that includes featherweights Calvin Kattar and Youssef Zalal, surprisingly resembled its primary occasion. Within the sense that in each fights, it was a ranked veteran on a shedding streak dealing with a youthful, rising contender on a profitable streak.
As for the co-main, perennial prime 10 featherweight Kattar was dealing with the streaking Zalal. “The Moroccan Devil” regarded rejuvenated in 2024, going 3-0 after a stint on the regional scene.
The primary two rounds of the battle regarded eerily comparable, with Zalal profitable each purely on exercise. He saved circling and peppering Kattar with pictures. He tried to combine in some takedowns, giving Kattar completely different appears to be like. And whereas the Bostonian efficiently defended the takedowns, Zalal timed the makes an attempt effectively sufficient to disrupt Kattar’s rhythm, ensuring he by no means obtained going.
In spherical three, Zalal, maybe not trusting his cardio, took the primary half of the spherical off, barely throwing any strikes. Kattar, figuring out he wanted a end, confirmed extra urgency. However his efforts proved futile as he nonetheless couldn’t tag Zalal on a constant sufficient foundation to threaten a KO.
Youssef Zalal gained by unanimous choice, 29-28 on all three scorecards. However what did this win symbolize? It’s by far his finest win but, however it’s additionally his least spectacular efficiency since coming again to the UFC. It was a giant alternative and he took residence the W, however he didn’t make the assertion the promotion was maybe anticipating from him. This win will nonetheless enable Zalal to interrupt into the rankings, which is an important factor for him at this stage of his profession. We’ll see how he fares now that he’s surrounded by nothing however contenders. In his post-fight speech, he known as out Brian Ortega. Not a nasty callout, however he acknowledged that the previous two-time title challenger is taking a look at a transfer to light-weight.
As for Calvin Kattar, that is the primary time he really regarded his age when it comes to battle years. After the beating he took from Max Holloway, he took a full 12 months off to recuperate and got here again with an upset win over the then-streaking Giga Chikadze. He then adopted that up with a choice loss to Josh Emmett in a battle that lots of people thought ought to have gone his manner.
Kattar subsequent injured his knee in opposition to Arnold Allen, forcing him to take an 18-month layoff. He got here again for UFC 300 in opposition to Aljamain Sterling in a battle the place he regarded lifeless and surrendered eight takedowns. However the narrative round him was that he had solely misplaced to the perfect, and even in a few of his losses, he both ought to have gotten the choice or misplaced as a consequence of an harm. And the setback Sterling was chalked off to the previous champion’s stellar wrestling capacity and Kattar’s lengthy layoff. Nonetheless, that is the primary battle the place Kattar merely has no excuse. There isn’t a narrative to avoid wasting him. He merely regarded his age. He has some onerous miles on him and his reluctance to throw as many strikes as he perhaps might have is an indication that these onerous miles are taking a toll on him.
Now on a four-fight shedding streak, even previous to the battle there have been talks that Kattar could have been preventing for his job. I’m not satisfied that’s the case. He’s been firm man all through the years, stepping up when the promotion has wanted him to and by no means turning down a battle. Nonetheless, the truth that he regarded this gun shy at instances could also be an indication that he can’t even present the UFC with the enjoyable, action-packed matchups we’ve been accustomed to see from him. If his contending years are behind him and he can’t present enjoyable fights, then perhaps the UFC gained’t have any curiosity in conserving him round. Solely time will inform on that entrance.
