UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling can add a significant name to his stat sheet if he can squash a returning Henry Cejudo at UFC 288. Cejudo enters the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday three years removed from his original retirement.
Sterling is in an unusual situation as champion. "Funk Master" has won his last three title fights, yet doesn't seem to be fully embraced or respected as a titleholder. This is likely due to extraneous circumstances overshadowing his success: from a disqualification win against Petr Yan to T.J. Dillashaw entering their fight with a non-functional shoulder. Cejudo is an Olympic gold medalist and one of only four simultaneous two-division champions in UFC history -- just the sort of marquee win that can cement Sterling's legacy. Cejudo announced his retirement and vacated the bantamweight title after beating Dominick Cruz in May 2020.
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UFC 288 also features a welterweight collision with serious title implications. Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns stepped up under difficult circumstances to fill out the pay-per-view card after Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush was delayed. Muhammad was fasting for Ramadan when he got the call; meanwhile, Burns was two weeks removed from beating Jorge Masvidal in the co-main event of UFC 287. The winner of this five-round non-title fight has been promised a UFC welterweight title shot, though not necessarily before Colby Covington.
CBS Sports will also have live coverage of the fight with round-by-round scoring and blow-by-blow updates to keep you up to date throughout the night.
The undercard also features the return of former women's strawweight queen Jessica Andrade as she takes on Xiaonan Yan. Andrade, 31, has bounced back and forth between 115 and 125 pounds in her recent fights. After a failed bid for the flyweight title in 2021, Andrade won three in a row against Cynthia Calvillo and Lauren Murphy at flyweight and Amanda Leemos at strawweight. She came up short in a short-notice opportunity against Erin Blanchfield at 125 pounds in February, but a win on Saturday gets her right back in the conversation.
Below is all the information you need to catch UFC 288 on Saturday night.
How to watch UFC 288 prelims
Date: May 6 | Location: Prudential Center -- Newark, New Jersey
Time: 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. ET for early prelims)
Channel: ESPN | Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
How to watch UFC 288 main card
Date: May 6 | Location: Prudential Center -- Newark, New Jersey
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Stream: ESPN+ PPV | Price: $79.99
Now, here's a look at the UFC 287 main fight card and betting odds via Caesars Sportsbook.
UFC 288 main card, odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
| Henry Cejudo -120 | Aljamain Sterling (c) +100 | Bantamweight title |
| Gilbert Burns -125 | Belal Muhammad +105 | Welterweights |
| Jessica Andrade -195 | Xiaonan Yan +162 | Women's strawweights |
| Movsar Evloev -900 | Diego Lopes +600 | Featherweights |
| Charles Jourdain -165 | Kron Gracie +140 | Featherweights |
