UFC 288 Fight Card: Sterling vs Cejudo, Muhammad vs Burns, and More

A month after the last pay-per-view event, the UFC is back with a banger – UFC 288: Sterling vs Cejudo. The return of the former double champion was teased for months and months, and it is finally time! What will the UFC 288 fight card surprise us with?

UFC Fight Card This Weekend: A Main Card Stacked With Former Champions and Contenders

After three consecutive Fight Night events with smaller cards and zero title fights, we will finally get a proper thriller. Is there a point explaining how massive the main event is? We hardly ever see such massive promotions for UFC events but this is Henry Cejudo after all.

With Conor McGregor gone, Cejudo probably has the biggest mouth in this show business. He has spent the last couple of years retired and has used every possible chance to impose his controversial opinions. He simply loves trash-talking and definitely has a talent for it.

The main event will be one for the ages. However, before we even get to this point, there are 12 other fights to watch in the UFC 288 fight card. And the main card itself is absolutely stacked.

• Bantamweight (125 pounds): Aljamain Sterling (22-3-0) vs Henry Cejudo (16-2-0)
• Welterweight (155 pounds): Belal Muhammad (22-3-0) vs Gilbert Burns (22-5-0)
• Women's Strawweight (115 pounds): Jessica Andrade (24-10-0) vs Yan Xiaonan (16-3-0)
• Featherweight (135 pounds): Movsar Evloev (16-0-0) vs Diego Lopes (0-1-0)
• Featherweight (135 pounds): Kron Gracie (5-1-0) vs Charles Jourdain (13-6-1)

Gilbert Burns is making a return for the third time this year. He has been the most active fighter on the roster and first fought Neil Magny in January and then Jorge Masvidal in April, just a month ago. He won both fights. He will face Belal Muhammad, who is on an 8-match win streak (+ 1 NC). He is the other main contender in the division and this match promises to be as good as a main event.

Next up, the former Strawweight champion Jessica Andrade will face Yan Xiaonan in a massive bout that could determine the next main contender in the division. Jessica is a legend in the UFC and MMA in general.

In the early main card bouts, we have several young prospects and debutants like Movsar Evloev vs Diego Lopes and Kron Gracie vs Charles Jourdain.

UFC 288 Fight Card: Sterling vs Cejudo Preview Analysis

Before we continue with the prelims and early prelims of the UFC fight card this weekend, let's take a closer look at our main event – Aljamain Sterling vs Henry Cejudo.

Aljo is well aware that Cejudo's aggressive fervor has seriously subsided in the last 2 years. No matter how much trash the two of them pour out backstage, Henry still won't rush forward in the first seconds. And this reconnaissance downtime should be used by Sterling.

Also, Sterling definitely shouldn't try to get to the feet first. The best thing he can do is to tighten the defense at the net in the hope that after several attempts to transfer the fight to the ground, Cejudo will begin to increase the pace in the stance and make mistakes.

Sterling will have stand-up work and accuracy, low kicks and stamina on his side. The defending champion will try to drag the fight into the later rounds to get ahead on points. Aljo's problem is Cejudo's technical base and overall physical strength. Whatever one may say, he has always been the most powerful representative of the roster, and Sterling has not yet had to deal with such advanced athletes.

UFC 288: Early Prelims & Prelims – What to Expect?

Prelims:

• Lightweight (155 pounds): Drew Dober (26-11-0) vs Matt Frevola (10-3-1)
• Light Heavyweight (205 pounds): Kennedy Nzechukwu (11-3-0) vs Devin Clark (14-7-0)
• Welterweight (170 pounds): Khaos Williams (13-3-0) vs Rolando Bedoya (14-1-0)
• Women's Strawweight (115 pounds): Marina Rodriguez (16-2-2) vs Virna Jandiroba (18-3-0)

Early Prelims:

• Heavyweight (265 pounds): Braxton Smith (5-1-0) vs Parker Porter (13-8-0)
• Middleweight (185 pounds): Phil Hawes (12-4-0) vs Ikram Aliskerov (13-1-0)
• Flyweight (125 pounds): Rafael Estevam (1-0-0) vs Zhalgas Zhumagulov (14-8-0)
• Middleweight (185 pounds): Joseph Holmes (8-3-0) vs Claudio Ribeiro (10-3-0)

The main focus will definitely be on the main card but we urge you to tune in early and watch at least the prelims. There are some incredible fighters on the UFC 288 fight card – both well-established athletes and huge prospects.

The two late fights – Drew Dober vs Matt Frevola and Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Devin Clark, in particular, will definitely be bangers. Several debutants for the promotion will also make an appearance on the UFC fight card this weekend.

Ikram Aliskerov is a huge prospect from Russia. He has 13 wins in 14 fights and will be looking for a massive debut win in the middleweight division. Rolando “The Machine” Bedoya will also make a debut in the UFC in the welterweight division. He boasts a record of 14 wins in 15 fights and is another promising youngster.

Overall, this UFC 288 fight card has a little bit of everything and it promises to be one of the best events we will see this year. For a complete analysis, check out the dedicated prediction articles on NYFights.