Overview
- Sterling, who headlined Saturday at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas, beat Zalal by identical 49-45 scorecards in a five-round decision.
- He controlled long stretches with takedowns, back control, and steady ground-and-pound that kept Zalal stuck defending on the mat.
- After the win he called for a title push and named Movsar Evloev and Alexander Volkanovski as the targets he wants next.
- The result moved Sterling to 3-1 since moving up to featherweight and halted Zalal’s eight-fight surge since rejoining the UFC.
- On the undercard Ryan Spann knocked out Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida, Jackson McVey won by first-round D’Arce choke, and the UFC paid $100,000 bonuses to Spann and McVey with Fight of the Night to Davey Grant.