After weeks of publicly calling for a fight, Aljamain Sterling is the beneficiary of a major UFC schedule shake-up, getting a new main event slot on April 25th. However, the opportunity comes against one of the featherweight division’s hottest and perhaps most dangerous rising contenders. The latest update reveals the former bantamweight champion will face Youssef Zalal in the new five-round main event of UFC Vegas 116 on April 25 at the Meta Apex. The shakeup was officially confirmed by MMA journalist Marcel Dorff after it was first reported by Brazilian journalist Leo Guimaraes.

“Aljamain Sterling will fight Youssef Zalal at UFCVegas116 on April 25th,” Dorff stated.

The welterweight clash between Sean Brady and Joaquin Buckley was originally scheduled as the UFC Vegas 116 headliner. However, according to some reports, the bout has now been moved to UFC 328 on May 9th in Newark, New Jersey. Meanwhile, the UFC is yet to officially confirm why the new five-round featherweight bout between Sterling and Zalal was slotted in instead. Regardless, the shift is notable because Sterling has spent the last several weeks openly expressing frustration about inactivity.

The former bantamweight champion hasn’t competed since August 2025, when he secured a dominant win over Brian Ortega during the UFC’s Shanghai event. That victory marked another step in his transition to featherweight, a division he moved to after losing the 135-pound title to Sean O’Malley in 2023.

During that time away from competition, Sterling repeatedly made it clear that his goal was simple: stay active and work his way back toward another championship opportunity.

“I’m not trying to get myself in trouble again, but I just want to fight and make money,” Sterling told Ariel Helwani. “I’m 36, I’m not getting any younger. I just want to freaking compete. If I’m going to get another chance and opportunity to fight for a world title, I’ve got to compete and I’ve got to win. I’ve got to keep winning and proving my case.”

That opportunity now comes against one of the division’s hottest streaking contenders. Youssef Zalal enters the fight riding an eight-fight win streak, quietly building momentum in a crowded featherweight division. The Moroccan standout made his biggest statement last October at UFC 320, submitting veteran contender Josh Emmett in just 98 seconds. That performance followed impressive wins over fighters like Calvin Kattar and Jack Shore, establishing Zalal as a legitimate threat near the top of the rankings.

There is still some uncertainty surrounding the rest of the UFC Vegas 116 lineup. At the time of writing, the original main event between Brady and Buckley has not been officially addressed by the promotion, leaving questions about whether the fight will move to the co-main slot or another card entirely. Still, for Aljamain Sterling, the stakes are clear. A win over a surging contender like Zalal would strengthen his case for a title shot at 145 pounds, a division he recently unloaded on after his win at RAF 6.

Aljamain Sterling demands a title shot as he fires off on “dumb” featherweights

The new main event slot also comes at a time when Aljamain Sterling has been very vocal about his place in the division. The former bantamweight champion hasn’t hidden his frustration with how slowly things have moved since he transitioned to featherweight.

Sterling currently sits 2-1 since moving up to 145 pounds, including a dominant win over Brian Ortega last August and a competitive loss to unbeaten contender Movsar Evloev. Those results, in his view, already put him within striking distance of another title opportunity.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, been with the company since 2014,” ‘The Funkmaster’ said after RAF 6. “I’ve been calling my shot, defended my belt the most in the bantamweight division, tied with a couple other greats like Merab Dvalishvili, consecutive title defenses. Give me my f– shot. I deserve a shot at the title. OG vs. OG. I’m smarter than all these dumb mother— out there. ”

The former champion argued that his experience and fight IQ make him deserving of another title opportunity. He criticized the promotion’s recent booking decisions, pointing to fighters like Diego Lopes receiving big opportunities despite inconsistent performances. While acknowledging that knockout power has never been his style, he emphasized that his success comes from strategy and intelligence inside the cage.

Whether Aljamain Sterling ultimately gets the title opportunity he’s been asking for may depend entirely on what happens at UFC Vegas 116. And if his recent comments are any indication, ‘The Funkmaster’ intends to make the most of the opportunity given to him.