The week before his first UFC fight since August of 2022, I asked Youssef Zalal what he missed the most. I interjected that he shouldn’t say the paychecks because I know that, and not the interviews because I won’t believe him.
Zalal, one of the most affable fighters on the roster, laughed, explaining that he didn’t mind interviews, knowing that it’s part of the gig at this level of the sport. But when he got to the answer, it wasn’t exactly what you might expect.
“To be honest, it's the fight week,” Zalal said.