Youssef Zalal wants Kevin Vallejos fight after trash talk

Youssef Zalal is pushing for a matchup with Kevin Vallejos after the Argentinian took shots at his fighting style.

Zalal responded to Vallejos saying he would rather face Aljamain Sterling because "The Funkmaster" doesn't run like Zalal does. The featherweight told Home of Fight he wants to prove his doubters wrong. "Let that guy talk, I hope they give me his name," Zalal said, per Sherdog. "I want to see that contract. I'll show him the 'kid that runs, the kid that circles, and is not fun to fight'... I can't wait to give him a reality check and show him there's levels to this."

How Zalal and Vallejos stack up

Zalal dropped a lopsided decision to Sterling in April, ending a five-fight win streak in his second UFC run. The Moroccan went 5-0 with four finishes after returning to the promotion in 2024, following three straight first-round stoppages on the regional circuit. His first UFC stint ended in 2022 after four consecutive losses.

Vallejos sits at 4-0 in the UFC with three stoppages. The 18-1 fighter was rooting for Sterling to beat Zalal ahead of their April bout, reportedly saying he preferred facing Sterling because Zalal circles too much. His lone professional loss came against Jean Silva via decision at Dana White's Contender Series in 2023.

No date has been announced for the potential featherweight clash.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Youssef Zalal wants to give Kevin Vallejos 'a reality check'