Morocco’s Youssef Zalal is eyeing a rematch with UFC Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, decided to rewrite the story of their first encounter.
Youssef Zalal Needs Ilia Topuria Rematch
Youssef Zalal first confronted Topuria on October 11, 2020, and misplaced the battle by unanimous determination in a hard-fought three rounds. Topuria’s grappling was dominant, and the victory helped the Georgian-Spanish fighter climb the ranks to finally safe the UFC Featherweight Championship in February 2024.
Reflecting on the potential future battle in opposition to Ilia Topuria, Zalal mentioned, “Oh, bro, why not? It’s a whole story, bro. Like, the storyline is right there. You talk about promotion—that’s like a big promotion right there. It’s like you fought the guy in his UFC debut. He’s your only decision, and you’re both coming up. He got kicked out and came back, so there’s a whole story behind this. So, 100%.”
Zalal’s journey to this potential rematch has been marked by perseverance. After a short stint outdoors the UFC, because of struggling contained in the group, he returned stronger. In his second UFC run, he earned Efficiency of the Night time bonuses and captured the eye of followers and analysts. The loss to Topuria stays a motivating think about Zalal’s profession.
As for Topuria, the undefeated fighter has seen his unbelievable rise within the sport. For Zalal, the chance to face Topuria once more represents an opportunity to settle unfinished enterprise and show how far he’s come since their preliminary assembly. Youssef Zalal is at present on a formidable six-fight win streak and simply submitted Jack Shore within the UFC.
