LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 25: (L-R) Youssef Zalal of Morocco punches Aljamain Sterling in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Meta APEX on April 25, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)
Aljamain Sterling put on an exhibition in effective and busy grappling on Saturday night. Sterling earned a unanimous-decision victory over Youssef Zalal. All three judges scored the fight 49-45. The scores were appropriate.
Sterling's sublime back control and grappling ruled this fight. Zalal's cardio wasn't there for a five-round fight against a grinder like Sterling. Aljamain took him into deep waters in the fourth round and drowned him.
Sterling simply ran him over the last two rounds. Zalal did great to not get finished from strikes and submissions, but he was out of his depth.
If you like finishes, this event probably didn't scratch the itch for you. Sterling, Joselyne Edwards, Jackson McVey and Ryan Spann carry the day for action and money performances.
The full main card and prelim results from the Meta APEX in Las Vegas are below:
Aljamain Sterling def. Youssef Zalal — UD (49-45 x3)
Joselyne Edwards def. Norma Dumont — UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Rafa García def. Alexander Hernandez — UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Davey Grant def. Adrian Luna Martinetti — UD (29-28 x3)
Raoni Barcelos def. Montel Jackson — SD (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
Ryan Spann def. Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida — KO (R2, 2:10)
Jackson McVey def. Sedriques Dumas — submission, D'Arce choke (R1, 2:14)
Michelle Montague def. Mayra Bueno Silva — UD (30-27, 29-28 x2)
Cody Durden def. Jafel Filho — UD (30-27 x2, 29-28)
Francis Marshall def. Lucas Brennan — UD (30-27 x3)
Going into the night, the contender stakes were straightforward, and Sterling delivered exactly the kind of statement performance the booking demanded.
Easily, the most memorable moment of the event was Spann's savage KO of Marcus Buchecha. Take a look at this finish. Unfortunately for finish-hungry MMA fans, this was the only KO of the night.
Sterling’s grappling clinic over five rounds was the technical showcase, with the back takes and clinch rides eventually breaking Zalal down completely by the championship rounds. McVey's first-round D'Arce on Dumas was the other clean finish, and the Edwards upset of the higher-ranked Dumont was the night's biggest stylistic surprise.
Spann was a clear choice for one of the bonuses. With McVey getting the other stoppage on the card, he was the natural choice for the other $100K bonus. The Fight of the Night was a tough choice, but Davey Grant’s decision win over Adrian Luna Martinetti gets the nod.