It will be interesting to see Zalal back in action after a long
layoff, particularly since he is moving down to a new weight class.
“The Moroccan Devil” did not look particularly ready for the big
time when he got the late-notice UFC call early in 2020, but
Zalal’s combination of range striking and solid wrestling saw him
get off to a hot start, racking up three wins in a six-month span
to kick off his UFC career. When Zalal hit a plateau, he hit it
hard. He had the poor fortune of welcoming current rising contender
Ilia
Topuria to the UFC, and matchups against fellow long
featherweights Seung Woo
Choi and Sean
Woodson neutralized a lot of Zalal’s approach and led to some
ugly decision losses. Things have been quiet on the Zalal front for
over a year, and he drops down to bantamweight for the first time
to take on an organizational newcomer in Blackshear. A six-year
vet, Blackshear is another rangy prospect who is not a particularly
overpowering force, but he is able to stay in his fights and get
things done as a creative grappler, even if it is sometimes a bit
of an adventure until he can find a finish. It has usually taken a
strong wrestler to neutralize Blackshear, but Zalal looks to at
least be a solid enough grappler to avoid getting tapped, so he
should be able to coast to a win as the more effective striker,
even if this could be a bit of a mess. The pick is Zalal via
decision.
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