UFC 288: Sterling vs Cejudo 05/06/2023 – Aljamain Sterling defends his UFC bantamweight title against former two-time UFC champion and Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo in the main event of UFC 288 on Saturday, May 6, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Sterling is making his third defense of the title he won against Petr Yan and stakes his eight-fight winning streak against the grappler Cejudo, who has previously won the bantamweight and flyweight titles. Online UFC odds are already updated as we await for the showdown that has the makings of becoming the “Fight of the Year” in the discipline of mixed martial arts.
UFC 288: Sterling vs Cejudo 05/06/2023
| When: | Saturday, May 6, 10:00 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Where: | Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, USA |
| TV: | ESPN+ |
| Stream: | UFC Fight Pass |
UFC 288: Sterling vs Cejudo 05/06/2023 Odds
| Fighter | Odds | Fighter | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aljamain Sterling | -101 | Henry Cejudo | -115 |
Main Card
Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain Sterling (22-3, 14-3 UFC) looks to successfully defend the UFC 135-pound title for the third time. He has been excellent in his last eight fights, winning all of them. He is deceptively good in grappling as eight of his finishes ended by submission. In his fights, Sterling was able to land 4.17 significant strikes per minute and has an accuracy rate of 51%. The Uniondale native is also excellent in defense as he was able to stop 61% of the attempted strikes by his foes. In terms of grappling, Sterling has averaged 1.98 takedowns per 15 minutes and has an accuracy of 24%. His takedown defense were only 41%, which is low considering that he will be fighting a grappler like Cejudo.
Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo (16-2, 10-2 UFC) is coming back to the UFC almost three years after announcing his retirement from the sport. The former Olympic gold medalist, who is also a two-time UFC champion, will have his hands full though as he is set to take on the current bantamweight champion Sterling. Cejudo has eight finishes in his 16 wins, all of them by knockout, meaning that he has also good hands aside from his excellent grappling skills thanks to his experience in the US national wrestling team. Cejudo has averaged 2.12 takedowns per 15 minutes and his takedown defense is 93%. His striking is also good with a 3.92 significant strikes landed per minute and a 45% accuracy. Cejudo’s wrestling skills will be tested against Sterling as he will try to take the champion down to increase his chances of winning and recapturing the UFC crown once more.
Sterling vs Cejudo Betting Numbers
| Record | 18-3-0 | 15-2-0 |
| Last Fight | Win | Win |
| Country | USA | USA |
| Height | 5’6″ | 5’4″ |
| Weight (lbs) | 134 | 125 |
| Reach (in) | 70″ | 63″ |
| Win by KO/TKO | 14% | 50% |
| Win by Submission | 36% | 0% |
| Decisions | 45% | 50% |
| Strikes landed per minute | 4.85 | 3.82 |
| Striking accuracy | 50% | 44% |
| Striking absorbed per minute | 1.95 | 2.73 |
| Striking defense | 66% | 65% |
| Takedown average | 1.91 | 2.16 |
| Takedown accuracy | 29% | 35% |
| Takedown defense | 51% | 90% |
| Submission average | 0.82 | 0.22 |
Sterling vs Cejudo Betting Picks
Experts who focus on betting for UFC see this match as a toss-up between the two fighters. Both fighters have different styles with Sterling having the advantage in striking while Cejudo is great at the mat. It will be interesting to see how this match ends, considering the contrast but if Sterling focused on defending the takedowns during training, then he will have a good edge in the showdown. On the other hand, if Cejudo trained on striking accuracy, he will have another weapon aside from his grappling maneuvers. The man who will dictate the tempo of the fight early will have a good chance of winning the match.
