UFC Fight Night 274 went down overnight into April 26 in Las Vegas, with former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling meeting Youssef Zalal in the featherweight main event.
UFC Fight Night 274 took place late April 25 into April 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the main event featured Aljamain Sterling against Youssef Zalal in a featherweight matchup. For Sterling, the bout carried extra weight beyond the result: this was another chance to prove he can become a real factor at 145 after building his name as a former bantamweight champion.
The event unfolded at the UFC Apex, a venue American fans have come to know for its smaller, more controlled atmosphere and a style of fight card that often serves as a proving ground for contenders trying to break through. In that sense, Sterling-Zalal was more than a headliner. It was a meaningful test of where Sterling fits in a crowded featherweight division and whether Zalal could score the kind of win that changes a career overnight.
Preliminary card:
Women’s strawweight: Talita Alencar def. Julia Polastri by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28);
Welterweight: Victor Valenzuela def. Max Griffin by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28);
Featherweight: Francis Marshall def. Lucas Brennan by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27);
Flyweight: Cody Durden def. Jafel Filho by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28);
Women’s bantamweight: Michelle Montague def. Mayra Bueno Silva by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28);
Middleweight: Jackson McVey def. Cedric Dumas by submission, Round 1;
Middleweight: Eric McConico def. Rodolfo Vieira by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
Main card:
Heavyweight: Ryan Spann def. Marcus Almeida by knockout, Round 2;
Bantamweight: Raoni Barcelos def. Montel Jackson by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28);
Bantamweight: Davey Grant def. Juan Martinetti by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28);
Lightweight: Rafa Garcia def. Alexander Hernandez by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27);
Women’s bantamweight: Joselyne Edwards def. Norma Dumont by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27);
Featherweight: Aljamain Sterling def. Youssef Zalal by unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45).
Sterling’s win gives him a foothold in a division that badly needs fresh matchups near the top, while Zalal leaves knowing he was one breakthrough performance away from forcing his way into that conversation. The next move at featherweight will matter, and Sterling now has a case to ask for a ranked opponent with real stakes attached.
