UFC APEX – Making his return to the UFC after a 5-fight stint outside of the promotion is featherweight Youssef Zalal who returns against Billy Quarantillo at UFC Vegas 89 on Saturday night.
“I’m baaaaaaack,” Zalal said with a laugh when he spoke with reporters on Wednesday.
“I was supposed to be in The Ultimate Fighter. I got the news that hey I’m the alternate. You’re like man I did all this work to be on the show to showcase my skills against the best in the world. I was ready to really showcase my skills in a 4-week period, and fight two times in that four weeks.”
Zalal (13-5-1) is one of few fighters who have left the UFC, but fought their way back. Some that have done it have actually reached gold.
“There’s a lot of hard work behind it, but obviously the journey continues, and I’m very happy that I get the second opportunity. Not a lot of people get the second opportunity, but I feel like most people that get the second opportunity they make the best out of it like Brandon Moreno and all those guys,” Zalal said.
A 3-fight losing streak and then a draw sealed Zalal’s fate as the promotion declined to renew his contract. Even on a losing streak however Zalal highlights his decision loss to UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria.
“By the way Ilia Topuria had his hardest matchup (against) me. Josh Emmett was not a hard matchup. If you get 10-7 let’s not talk about that, right? If he was wrestling that’s a whole different story,” he said.
“But you get 10-7’d in a striking matchup I don’t know about that. I’m the toughest matchup. I’m like the Sean O’Malley of this division now.”
Watch the entire media day scrum with Youssef Zalal above. He takes on Billy Quarantillo at UFC Vegas 89 on Saturday night.
