Ready to once again prove his doubters wrong, Aljamain Sterling defends the UFC bantamweight title against a former champion in Henry Cejudo at UFC 288 on May 6. Cejudo returns to the octagon for the first time since 2020.
UFC 288 is inside the Prudential Center in New Jersey and airs on ESPN+ PPV in the U.S.
Sterling, a New York native, won’t have a terrible commute training for this fight as he trains with the famed Serra-Longo Fight Team. The 33-year-old has defended the bantamweight belt twice and is on an eight-fight win streak. “Funk Master” believes he can take Cejudo out in two rounds and force him back into retirement.
A former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion, Cejudo ended his initial run in MMA on a six-fight win streak. “Triple C” has stayed in shape for three years following his last bout against Dominick Cruz. His team believes he is ready to take down the wrestler in Sterling.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 288 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
"We know [Aljamain Sterling] loves a body triangle, so we're going over that... And just making sure he's sharp in all the positions that he doesn't always finds himself in because we want him to be confident enough to grow and be offensive instead of taking a defensive approach to the fight," Cejudo’s head coach Santino DeFranco said on his fighter’s YouTube channel via Sportskeeda.
After all this time, what kind of shape with Henry Cejudo be in on fight night? The Sporting News will provide weigh-in results for UFC 288. Follow along as each fighter on the card attempts to make weight.
UFC 288 weigh-in results
Main card
- Aljamain Sterling (c) (134) vs. Henry Cejudo (135) for the UFC bantamweight title
- Belal Muhammad (170) vs. Gilbert Burns (171); Welterweights
- Jessica Andrade (115) vs. Yan Xiaonan (115); Strawweights
- Diego Lopes (146) vs. Movsar Evloev (145); Featherweights
- Kron Gracie (145) vs. Charles Jourdain (145); Featherweights
Prelims
- Drew Dober (155.5) vs. Matt Frevola (155); Lightweights
- Kennedy Nzechukwu (205) vs. Devin Clark (205); Light Heavyweights
- Khaos Williams (169) vs. Rolando Bedoya (170); Welterweights
- Marina Rodriguez (115) vs. Virna Jandiroba (115); Strawweights
FIGHT PASS Prelims
- Braxton Smith (262) vs. Parker Porter (249); Heavyweights
- Phil Hawes (185) vs. Ikram Aliskerov (186); Middleweights
- Rafael Estevam () vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (); Flyweights*
- Joseph Holmes (189) vs. Claudio Ribiero (185); Middleweights
* Estevem vs. Zhumagulov is off due to weight issues on the part of Estevem
* Holmes missed weight and will forfeit 20% of his purse
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What is Aljamain Sterling’s height?
Sterling is 5-7.
What is Henry Cejudo’s height?
Cejudo is 5-4.
What is Aljamain Sterling’s reach?
Sterling has a reach of 71 inches.
What is Henry Cejudo’s reach?
Cejudo has a reach of 64 inches.
When is UFC 288: Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo?
- Date: Saturday, May 6 | Sunday, May 7
- FIGHT PASS Prelims: 6 p.m. ET | 3 p.m. PT | 11 p.m. BST | 8 a.m. AEST
- Prelims: 8 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. PT | 1 a.m. BST | 10 a.m. AEST
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. PT | 3 a.m. BST | 12 p.m. AEST
- Main event: 12:15 a.m. ET | 9:15 p.m. PT | 5:15 a.m. BST | 2:15 p.m. AEST (approx.)
UFC 288 takes place on May 6. The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET | 3 p.m. PT | 11 p.m. BST | 8 a.m. AEST, followed by the prelims at 8 p.m. ET | 5 p.m. PT | 1 a.m. BST | 10 a.m. AEST. The UFC 288 main card will begin at 10 p.m. ET | 7 p.m. PT | 3 a.m. BST | 12 p.m. AEST.
Sterling and Cejudo should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET | 9:15 p.m. PT | 5:15 a.m. BST | 2:15 p.m. AEST, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
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How to watch UFC 288: Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Sat. May 6 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Sat. May 6 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sun. May 7 | BT Sport |
| Australia | Sun. May 7 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
The main card for UFC 288 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost. Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+.
In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport, with the prelims available on UFC Fight Pass.
In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo PPV price: How much does UFC 288 cost?
- $79.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
- $124.98 (new subscribers)
In the U.S., the UFC 288 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 288 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $124.98 for the UFC 288 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 288 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $12.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $79.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $124.98, then $99.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle | $79.99, then $12.99/month |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
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