Aljamain Sterling was able to win the wrestling and grappling battle against Youssef Zalal over five rounds tonight at UFC Fight Night 274 to win by unanimous decision.
Round One
The bantamweight main event is underway in Las Vegas!
A few missed kicks as both men try to settle into the fight and find their range. Grazing body kick from Sterling.
Zalal feeling out with the jab, but now finding a clean connection yet. Winging overhand from Sterling.
Sterling works a reaching right hand. Sterling shoots for his first takedown of the fight against the cage, but Zalal fends it off and gets back to striking range.
Nice leg sweep from Sterling to knock Zalal off-balance to the mat and then is able to get on top in the center of the Octagon.
Sterling in half-guard here. Zalal trying to set up a triangle choke, but not quite getting it. Zalal still working for it, but Sterling stays patient and gets free. Zalal goes for it again, but nothing doing and so he tries to kick him off. Sterling manages to readjust and stay on top in the final seconds of the round.
Round Two
Calf kick for Sterling. He’s pressing forward now. Jab from Zalal. Sterling clinches up against the cage, but doesn’t stay there for long.
Zalal the one pressuring now and throws a knee that grazes the head of Sterling.
Sterling back on the front foot now and lands a body kick. Inside leg kick for Sterling.
Body punch from Zalal. Sterling drives into a takedown, turning Zalal into the cage.
Zalal gets free. Body punch from Sterling, brief clinch and then punches his way back out of it.
Long jabs land for Zalal. Now it’s his turn to try to apply pressure. Sterling lands a couple of jabs.
Zalal misses a strike and Sterling steps in and gets the takedown. Sterling takes the back quickly and gets the body triangle in.
A minute of the round remaining as Sterling goes to his back while landing some strikes. Rather than looking for a rear-naked choke he just looks to continue softening up Zalal with some punches late in the round.
Round Three
Sterling punches to the body. He’s looking to apply more pressure and then drives into a takedown against the cage. Sterling goes to his knees while trying to land this. Now he hoists Zalal into the air and dumps him to the mat.
Zalal counters with a guillotine choke and it’s tight enough that Sterling has to give up top position. He does manage to get out of the choke though, but now Zalal is working from his guard.
Sterling trying to work a triangle choke, but Zalal gets out of that and stands over him. As he’s back down Zalal is able to fend off another triangle choke attempt and pass to side control. Now it’s Zalal who takes the back with the body triangle in.
A minute of the round remaining as Zalal starts trying to fish for a potential rear-naked choke. Solid control from him, but not able to really threaten with the submission and Sterling is trying to get back upright as the round ends.
Round Four
Sterling back to pressuring early in the fourth. Sterling with a punch. Now a series of low kicks from the former champ, then into the clinch against the cage.
Sterling gets Zalal down to one knee, then is able to nicely take his back and get the body triangle.
Sterling rolls to his back and blasts away with some good punches. Sterling finally attempts a rear-naked choke, but Zalal is able to survive that attempt.
Sterling goes back to punching then commits to the rear-naked choke again and is really squeezing on it this time, but Zalal stays calm and is able to work through that one too.
Sterling still happy to work from this dominant position though. Now he moves to full mount. A minute remaining. Sterling landing a few punches.
Zalal gets to his knees and rushes over to the cage, then stands up under fire. Sterling throws a knee.
Back into the clinch from Sterling, but Zalal reverses that in the final seconds of the round.
Round Five
Sterling takes the center of the Octagon. Zalal throwing punches but not finding a connection. He goes for another flurry and lands a body kick.
Zalal coming forward with purpose now, but Sterling is able to clinch and turn him into the cage.
Zalal trying to defend the takedown against the cage as Sterling looks for a trip. Zalal does stay upright, but there’s now only three minutes remaining in the fight.
Knee from Zalal and punches from Sterling and then they go back to striking range.
Sterling presses forward with a flurry of punches to set up a takedown and lands it near the cage.
Sterling in half-guard. 90 seconds to go. He gets the back again and has the body triangle, this time with an arm trapped too. Zalal able to get that limb free, but Sterling is now chipping away with punches to the head.
Zalal trying to scramble out in the final 10 seconds, but the time runs out.
Decision
Sterling was able to spend much of the fight applying pressure, landing takedowns and taking the back of Zalal to gain control and land punches, leading him to a unanimous decision victory (49-46 x3).
