Moroccan featherweight MMA fighter Youssef Zalal is continuing to make his country proud, overpowering Peter Barrett for three rounds at UFC Vegas 6 on Saturday.
The 23-year-old Casablanca native boasts a 10-2 record and four wins in his current streak.
The August 8 fight was the “Moroccan Devil’s” third Octagon appearance and his American opponent’s first.
The first round began with a spinning kick from Zalal, followed by a series of punches that knocked Barrett down, according to Dan Doherty, an MMA commentator with sports outlet Cage Side Press.
While “the speed of Zalal was evident,” Doherty reported that Barrett managed to land a head kick before the first round ended.
Zalal dominated “Slippery Pete” again in the second round, but was not able to end the fight with Barrett subdued, according to the same source.
The third round ended with Zalal emerging victorious.
Doherty reported that “Zalal hit a single-leg takedown. Barrett tried to spin off his back, but nearly gave up his back and conceded mount. Barrett eventually gave up his back and Zalal went for another rear-naked choke. Barrett stood up, bucked him off, then ate a few upkicks as time expired.”
Barrett was the last of Dana White’s Contender Series winners from 2019 to make his debut inside the Octagon, according to the same source. He was initially meant to face off against Scottish MMA fighter Danny Henry in April 2020, but the fight did not occur as planned.
Barrett was scheduled to fight fellow American featherweight Steve Garcia this weekend but instead faced “the always dangerous” Youssef Zalal.
Saturday’s victory adds another win to Zalal’s record, allowing him to maintain his current streak.
The fighter told Morocco World News in July that being in the UFC “means a lot” to him. He explained that it gives him the opportunity “to show young athletes back in Morocco that they too can make it in the UFC too, that this is possible and it is not just a dream.”
Youssef Zalal has a promising future with the UFC and is a source of pride for his home country Morocco.
“My future goal is to be the best fighter I can be and hopefully one day become a champion.”
Read also: Meet Youssef Zalal: The UFC’s ‘Moroccan Devil’
