Following a three-year layoff, former two-division champion Henry Cejudo will attempt to reclaim the bantamweight title Saturday night in his return against sitting champion Aljamain Sterling in the main event of UFC 288. Their five-round battle will anchor the main UFC 288 fight card (10 p.m. ET) from the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. Cejudo walked away three years ago as the titleholder in both the bantamweight and flyweight divisions, though it was widely believed he would return at some point. That time has come and Cejudo, who spent his time away from the cage coaching numerous high-profile fighters, has predicted a dominant performance to claim the title. But Sterling has won eight straight and the New York native should have crowd support in nearby New Jersey.
Cejudo is listed as a slight -115 favorite (risk $115 to win $100), while Sterling comes back at -105 in the latest UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo odds from Caesars Sportsbook. The co-main event features a welterweight title eliminator as Gilbert Burns (-130) takes on Belal Muhammad (+110). Before locking in any UFC 288 picks, make sure you see the MMA predictions and betting advice from SportsLine expert Daniel Vithlani.
Vithlani is a highly analytical UFC bettor who profited more than $6,200 for $100 bettors in 2022. This includes a documented 24-14 record on his well-respected, two-leg parlays. Every pick was documented on his public Instagram account.
From breaking down film and following fighters and their camps closely, to tracking sharp action and betting market signals, Vithlani covers the breadth of the MMA betting landscape top to bottom. He also trains amateur boxers and speaks regularly with MMA fighters to understand the sport's nuances.
In his SportsLine debut at UFC 283 in January, Vithlani swept the main card and his picks included advising SportsLine members to back Jamahal Hill (-125) against Glover Teixeira (+105) for the vacant light heavyweight title in the main event. Anyone who has followed him has seen massive returns.
Now, with UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo in sight, Vithlani has scoured the card top to bottom for value and released his top MMA picks. You can only see those pickss at SportsLine.
UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo preview
Sterling (22-3) is one of the least popular UFC champions in recent memory. Whether he deserves this distinction is up for debate, though another dominant win Saturday is bound to win over more of his doubters.
The nine-year UFC veteran saw his reputation take a turn for the worse in March 2021 when he challenged former champion Petr Yan for the belt at UFC 259. The fight was close early, but Yan pulled away and appeared to be headed toward a stoppage victory in the fourth round when he caught Sterling with an illegal knee to the head.
Sterling couldn't continue and was awarded the victory, the first time a UFC belt has ever changed hands by means of disqualification. The new champ placed the belt on the canvas and said he refused to accept winning in such a manner, but later was seen in a series of photographs and celebrations proudly displaying the belt.
A year later, he won the rematch over Yan by decision in a fight he dominated much of the way and nearly submitted his rival on several occasions. He won over many MMA observers with that performance, but some remain unimpressed. His win against Dillashaw didn't help his cause much when it was later revealed Dillashaw entered the cage with an injured shoulder.
Coincidentally, Cejudo (16-2) was far from a fan favorite for most of his first stint in the UFC, owing largely to a cartoonish demeanor away from the cage that he embraced in a quest to become a jovial villain of sorts.
However, the 2008 Olympic wrestling gold medalist earned respect with four consecutive victories, including three finishes, in his reign as a two-division champion. His last appearance resulted in a second-round stoppage of former champion Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 in May 2020. You can see who Vithlani is backing at SportsLine.
UFC 288 predictions
We'll share one of Vithlani's UFC 288 picks here: He is supporting Jessica Andrade (-190) to get the nod against Yan Xiaonan (+165) in a battle of women's strawweight contenders on the main card.
Andrade (24-10) is a former strawweight champion and 10-year UFC veteran who is generally regarded as one of the most accomplished fighters in the women's game. The 31-year-old Brazilian has nine knockouts and eight submissions to her credit. She saw a three-fight winning streak come to an end with a loss to rising prospect Erin Blanchfield in February.
Xiaonan (16-3-1) is a power puncher and all-action brawler who climbed the ranks behind a six-fight win streak to start her UFC career before suffering consecutive losses against upper-tier competition. The 33-year-old Chinese fighter responded with a decision win over Mackenzie Dern in October.
"If Andrade is walking forward and marching Xionan down, she will find a home for her power punches, or land takedowns and beat her up with ground-and-pound," VIthlani told SportsLine. You can see more picks at SportsLine.
How to make UFC 288 picks and bets
Vithlani has strong picks for Sterling vs. Cejudo and other bouts on the UFC 288 card. He's also backing a fighter who "has fight-changing power" to emerge with a dominant victory. Those picks are only available at SportsLine.
Who wins UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo? And how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC Fight Night, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $6,200 in 2022, and find out.
UFC 288 odds, fight card
See full UFC 288 picks, predictions, and best bets here
Aljamain Sterling (-105) vs. Henry Cejudo (-115)
Belal Muhammad (+110) vs. Gilbert Burns (-130)
Jessica Andrade (-190) vs. Yan Xiaonan (+165)
Kron Gracie (+160) vs. Charles Jourdain (-190)
Drew Dober (-210) vs. Matt Frevola (+175)
Kennedy Nzechukwu (-190) vs. Devin Clark (+160)
Kennedy Nzechukwu (-190) vs. Devin Clark (+160)
Khaos Williams (-305) vs. Rolando Bedoya (+250)
Marina Rodriguez (-140) vs. Virna Jandiroba (+120)
Phil Hawes (+175) Vvs. Ikram Aliskerov (-210)
