Recently signed Youssef Zalal is one of the few Moroccans on the UFC roster.
Zalal (8-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) got the short-notice call to face fellow debutant Austin Lingo at UFC 247, scoring a unanimous decision win to open up the night.
He is one of three Moroccans currently in the UFC, joining brothers Abu and Ottman Azaitar, who also made good on their promotional debuts.
With the rise of MMA in Africa, led by Nigerian champions Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman, Zalal sees the UFC making a trip to Morocco someday soon.
“It means the world to me to represent my country,” Zalal told MMA Junkie. “This is what I dreamt about, and now it’s a reality. Oh man, I had a ton of Moroccans text me and supporting me. Definitely I see the UFC coming to Morocco in the future.”
Going in as a betting underdog, Zalal impressed in his debut, displaying solid footwork and striking, mixing things up with numerous takedowns. He was able to evade Lingo’s big shots, handing him the first loss of his professional career.
But while Zalal said he didn’t experience any octagon jitters, he also knows he has more to offer.
“It was an awesome experience,” Zalal said. “I was very confident in my skills and my training. Man, I’m my worst critic; I’ll give it a seven.”
Just like most fighters, it’s hard for Zalal to gauge what’s next in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but he insists he’ll be ready to fight again as soon as he gets the call.
“I’m doing pretty good with all this going on,” Zalal said. “Coronavirus definitely affected my training a little bit, but I’m making the best out of the situation.
“It doesn’t matter to be honest. I’m ready to go right now if they call. I’ll be ready, doesn’t matter the opponent or the place. My goal is to be the best fighter I can be and show the world my skills.”
