Round one begins with each feeling each other out, Sterling throwing big kicks that miss even greater. Zalal way more content simply to take his time and watch Sterling’s movement.
Sterling is attempting to move upstairs with the hands somewhat more, connecting with a pleasant right cutting near the jaw. He shoots for a takedown but Zalal appears to have it handled. Zalal comes forward, Sterling throws a leg kick that wipes out the leg from beneath Zalal and sends him to the ground.
Zalal looks for the triangle within the grappling exchange on the ground, but Sterling postures up to forestall it. The round involves an end with Sterling on top of things.
Round two begins and Sterling comes forward with calf kicks. Sterling presses forward with the jab and clinches up with Zalal against the cage. Zalal comes back with a solid knee to the cheek, wobbling Sterling only barely. Two stinging right inside leg kicks land for Sterling on Zalal and he looks to be coming forward with somewhat more behind him.
He clinches up with Zalal against the cage. Zalal gives a nod after getting a stern shot to the gut. Zalal is coming forward with the jab now, getting tagged as he is available in all the identical. This time coming forward Zalal is stung with a calf kick and Sterling gets the takedown.
Sterling has Zalal mounted and is raining down punches. Zalal adjusts backwards, breaks the body triangle but continues to get lit up with punches from Sterling in the method. Sterling has Zalal in a half-Nelson, Zalal rolls through but Sterling rolls with him and continues to bury his fist within the side of his head. However the round involves an end and grants Zalal a reprieve.
Round three begins and Sterling is backing Zalal up over again with testing straights. Sterling goes for an additional takedown against the cage, picks up and slams Zalal. Zalal is in search of a guillotine choke and appears to have it in, but Sterling defends it very well and gets out of it.
Zalal continues to press from the mounted position but Sterling is squirming with him and never allowing any room for excellent effect. Sterling makes a giant noise with an up-kick to the face of Zalal. Zalal gets back on the bottom with Sterling after that. Now he has the body triangle and is in search of the rear choke. The last ten seconds of the round are spent with Sterling getting up to at least one knee with Zalal on his back.
Round 4 gets underway and Sterling is on the chase, pushing Zalal against the cage, dialing up the tempo with shots upstairs, and going for the takedown. He has the back control on the bottom, in search of the choke. He throws punches into the side of Zalal’s head seeking to loosen him for the choke.
Zalal desperately tries to fight out of the submission, refusing to tap out whilst his blood vessels bulge from his brow. The referee might have been forgiven for calling it there.
Zalal tries to roll Sterling off but Sterling just follows him from the body triangle. Now Sterling has the highest mount and sprawl over Zalal, sinking punches in. He could get an arm triangle here. At the same time as Zalal manages to get to his feet, Sterling is peppering him with shots. However the round involves an end before anything major happens.
Round five is here and Zalal is now the one coming forward after his corner told him he needs this. Sterling is on the back foot now, but then he manages to reverse Zalal into the cage with the waist control.
The group breaks into dueling “Aljo” and “Youssef” chants for the fighters as they grapple against the cage. The grappling breaks off after nothing gained and Sterling comes back with punches, which prove to be an ideal segue right into a successful takedown.
Sterling continues to take care of control over the back of Zalal, sinking increasingly punches as he searches for the rear choke. He finishes the fight with slaps and punches to the top of Zalal, not scoring the finish but cementing what must be a clean sweep across the judges.
Aljamain Sterling def. Youssef Zalal via Unanimous Decision (49-45; 49-45; 49-45)