UFC 288 Fight Card: PPV Schedule, Odds and Predictions for Sterling vs. Cejudo
Henry Cejudo walked away as a champion three years ago. At UFC 288, he'll attempt to come back and reclaim the throne he left against Aljamain Sterling in the main event.
The 36-year-old is one of the most decorated mixed martial artists of all-time. He parlayed his gold-medal Olympic wrestling career into a shot at the UFC and came away with a flyweight and bantamweight title.
Another championship would merely add a serious bullet point to his loaded resume.
Sterling is hoping to use the fight to add to his legitimacy as champion. The Funk Master has transformed himself from submission specialist to a bona fide champion but would further add to his credibility with a win over an accomplished fighter like Cejudo.
It's a great main event that caps a card filled with important fights in multiple divisions.
The main card features a last-minute welterweight fight between Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad, Jessica Andrade testing Yan Xiaonan and the return of Kron Gracie.
Here's a quick look at the complete card with the latest odds and a closer look at the featured bouts Saturday at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
UFC 288 Fight Card, Schedule and Odds
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Main Card (ESPN+ PPV, 10 p.m. ET)
- Aljamain Sterling (c) (-105) vs. Henry Cejudo (-115) – for bantamweight title
- Gilbert Burns (-140) vs. Belal Muhammad (+120)
- Jessica Andrade (-170) vs. Yan Xiaonan (+145)
- Movsar Evloev (-900) vs. Diego Lopes (+625)
- Kron Gracie (+145) vs. Charles Jourdain (-170)
Prelims (ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)
- Drew Dober (-210) vs. Matt Frevola (+180)
- Devin Clark (+150) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (-175)
- Rolando Bedoya (+280) vs. Khaos Williams (-340)
- Virna Jandiroba (+110) vs. Marina Rodriguez (-130)
Early Prelims (ESPN/ESPN+, 6:30 p.m. ET)
- Parker Porter (-180) vs. Braxton Smith (+155)
- Ikram Aliskerov (-190) vs. Phil Hawes (+160)
- Joseph Holmes (+145) vs. Claudio Ribeiro (-170)
Picks in bold. Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook and accurate as of 11:25 p.m. ET on Friday.
Sterling vs. Cejudo
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As the odds would indicate, this is a great matchup on paper.
Sterling has evolved from his early days in MMA as a submission ace who was a bit of a one-dimensional fighter to a much more well-rounded champion who can still grapple with anyone.
Cejudo took a similar path to UFC stardom. His Olympic wrestling background is the foundation of his game, but his boxing got to a point where he could score technical knockout wins over Dominick Cruz, Marlon Moraes and T.J. Dillashaw in his last three bouts.
That leads to a fascinating clash of styles as these two prepare to fight for the title.
Cejudo still likely holds the advantage in the striking department. He has good power in his hands and does a great job of marrying his boxing with his wrestling to keep opponents guessing.
However, Sterling's slick submission game could keep Cejudo from enjoying the same wrestling advantage that he usually has. The striking in this matchup will be fun, but the real intrigue will come when the fight hits the mat.
Ultimately, it's hard to say what Cejudo will look like. He's 36 years old, and he hasn't fought for three years. That can cut both ways. On one hand, the time off could have rejuvenated him. On the other, there's a chance he just doesn't have the same edge anymore.
If it's the former, Cejudo is going to reassert himself as the top fighter in the division. If not, Sterling is going to continue his reign.
Prediction: Sterling via decision
Burns vs. Muhammad
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Gilbert Burns is stepping out on a limb simply by taking this fight. The co-main event was originally scheduled to be a lightweight fight between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush. It would have likely determined the next lightweight title challenger for Islam Makhachev.
When Oliveira withdrew from the bout because of injury, the UFC needed a new co-headliner, and Burns agreed to fight Belal Muhammad.
Muhammad is a dangerous opponent who is risky for anyone ranked higher than him.
The 34-year-old hasn't lost since January 2019 and—with a no-contest against Leon Edwards in the middle—is on an eight-fight winning streak.
His relentless style and willingness to pursue takedowns until they finally work out for him make him a difficult fighter to counter.
But that's nothing new for Burns. The Brazilian has been in the cage with Demian Maia, Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev. He won against Maia via TKO, limited Chimaev to just two successful takedowns and lost to Usman on his feet.
Burns remains one of the best welterweights right now and has the tools to not only handle Muhammad's aggression but also turn it back on him.
Prediction: Burns via decision
Andrade vs. Yan
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The last time we saw Jessica Andrade in the cage, she was in an unfamiliar position. Erin Blanchfield was the more physical fighter and submitted her with a rear-naked choke in the second round.
There's a good chance that we'll look back on it as Blanchfield's announcement as a serious threat in the flyweight division. The 24-year-old seems to have the talent to become a champion and stay atop the division.
So there's a decent chance there's nothing more to read into that fight. There's also the scenario in which this signals a decline for the 31-year-old.
Andrade's previous four defeats before the one to Blanchfield were to Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Zhang Weili, Rose Namajunas and Valentina Shevchenko. Each of those fighters has had UFC gold around her waist.
Yan Xiaonan is a step down from that level. She comes in with losses in two of her last three fights. Her last bout was a majority decision win over Mackenzie Dern.
As long as Andrade hasn't lost a step, she should wear Yan down, land significant punches and eventually finish this fight on the ground.
Prediction: Andrade via second-round TKO
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