UFC 288 Embedded episode 1 goes behind the scenes as bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling shows out for his hometown fans. Returning former dual-division champion Henry Cejudo trains with his team; Gilbert Burns stays close to home. Belal Muhammad pushes with another Chi-town title hopeful. Bryce Mitchell embraces retro recovery techniques.
Aljamain Sterling is the current UFC bantamweight champion, but a win over former two-division titleholder Henry Cejudo would cement his legacy as one of the promotion’s greatest champions of all time.
Cejudo, on the other hand, is returning from a nearly three-year retirement to try and do what only Georges St-Pierre has done. That being, retiring with the belt and then returning to win another championship.
Gilbert Burns is making a quick return to the Octagon after dominating Jorge Masvidal at UFC 287 just a month ago. He squares off with fellow welterweight contender Belal Muhammad. The winner should have a title shot locked up for his next bout, likely having to first wait for Colby Covington to get another crack at the belt.
The UFC 288 fight card also features a pivotal strawweight bout between Jessica Andrade and Yan Xiaonan.
UFC 288: When, Where, What!
UFC 288 takes place on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. It is headlined by a bantamweight championship bout between current champ Aljamain Sterling and former two-division titleholder Henry Cejudo. A short-notice welterweight war between Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns takes the UFC 288 co-main event slot.
UFC 288 Embedded, Episode 1
Offers not pouring in for Francis Ngannou, as ONE Championship declines his services
UFC 288: Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo
Saturday, May 6, 2023
Prudential Center
Newark, New Jersey
UFC 288 Main Card
- Main Event – Bantamweight Championship: Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. Henry Cejudo
- Welterweight: Belal Muhammad vs. Gilbert Burns
- Women’s Strawweight: Jéssica Andrade vs. Yan Xiaonan
- Featherweight: Movsar Evloev vs. Bryce Mitchell
- Featherweight: Kron Gracie vs. Charles Jourdain
UFC 288 Preliminary Card
- Lightweight: Drew Dober vs. Matt Frevola
- Light Heavyweight: Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Devin Clark
- Welterweight: Khaos Williams vs. Rolando Bedoya
- Women’s Strawweight: Marina Rodriguez vs. Virna Jandiroba
UFC 288 Early Prelims Card
- Heavyweight: Braxton Smith vs. Parker Porter
- Middleweight: Phil Hawes vs. Ikram Aliskerov
- Flyweight: Rafael Estevam vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov
- Middleweight: Joseph Holmes vs. Claudio Ribiero
- Bantamweight: Daniel Santos vs. Johnny Muñoz Jr.
UFC 288 Embedded: Can Henry Cejudo join the GOATs?