UFC 288: Sterling vs Cejudo
UFC 288 event was UFC’s sixth PPV event in 2023. The event took place at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, on May 6, 2023. Aljamain Sterling vs Henry Cejudo fight for Bantamweight Championship was the main event of the night.
Event Info
FIGHT CARD
MAIN CARD
Main Event: Aljamain Sterling(c) vs Henry Cejudo
- Result: Aljamain Sterling(c) won via split decision(47-48 48-47, 48-47)
- Division/title: Bantamweight Championship
- Records: Aljamain Sterling (23-3-0), Henry Cejudo (16-3-0)
- Weight: Aljamain Sterling(134 lbs), Henry Cejudo(135 lbs)
- Referee: Herb Dean
- Live Blog
Co-Main Event: Belal Muhammad vs Gilbert Burns
- Result: Belal Muhammad won via unanimous decision(50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
- Division/title: Welterweight
- Records: Belal Muhammad (23-3-0), Gilbert Burns (22-6-0)
- Weight: Belal Muhammad(170 lbs), Gilbert Burns(171 lbs)
- Referee: Keith Peterson
- Live Blog
Jessica Andrade vs Yan Xiaonan
- Result: Yan Xiaonan def. Jessica Andrade via TKO(punches) at 2:20 of round 1
- Division/title: Women’s Flyweight
- Records: Jessica Andrade (24-11-0) vs Yan Xiaonan (17-3-0)
- Weight: Jessica Andrade(115 lbs), Yan Xiaonan(115 lbs)
- Referee: Vitor Ribeiro
Movsar Evloev vs Diego Lopes
- Result: Movsar Evloev won via unanimous decision(30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Division/title: Featherweight
- Records: Movsar Evloev (17-0-0) vs Deigo Lopes(21-6)
- Weight: Movsar Evloev(145 lbs), Diego Lopes(146 lbs)
- Referee: Keith Peterson
Kron Gracie vs Charles Jourdain
- Result: Charles Jourdain won via unanimous decision(30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Division/title: Featherweight
- Records: Kron Gracie (5-2-0), Charles Jourdain (14-6-1)
- Weight: Kron Gracie(145 lbs), Charles Jourdain(145 lbs)
- Referee: Garry Copeland
PRELIMS CARD
Drew Dober vs Matt Frevola
- Result: Matt Frevola won via TKO(punches) at 4:08 of round 1-
- Division/title: Lightweight
- Records: Drew Dober (26-12-0), Matt Frevola (11-3-1)
- Weight: Drew Dober(155.5 lbs), Matt Frevola(155 lbs)
- Referee: Herb Dean
Devin Clark vs Kennedy Nzechukwu
- Result: Kennedy Nzechukwu won via submission(Guillotine Choke) at 2:28 of round 2
- Division/title: Light Heavyweight
- Records: Devin Clark (14-8-0), Kennedy Nzechukwu (12-3-0)
- Weight: Devin Clark(205 lbs), Kennedy Nzechukwu(205 lbs)
- Referee: Gasper Oliver
Khaos Williams vs. Ronaldo Bedoya
- Result: Khaos Williams won via split decision(29-28, 29-28, 27-30)
- Division/title: Welterweight
- Records: Khaos Williams (14-3-0), Ronaldo Bedoya (14-2-0)
- Weight: Khaos Williams(169 lbs), Ronaldo Bedoya(170 lbs)
- Referee: Keith Peterson
Marina Rodriguez vs Virna Jandiroba
- Result: Virna Jandiroba won via unanimous decision(30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
- Division/title: Women’s Strawweight
- Records: Marina Rodriguez (16-3-0), Virna Jandiroba (19-3-0)
- Weight: Marina Rodriguez(115 lbs), Virna Jandiroba(115 lbs)
- Referee: Vitor Ribeiro
EARLY PRELIMS CARD
Parker Porter vs Braxton Smith
- Result: Parker Porter won TKO at (punches) 2:10 of round 1
- Division/title: Heavyweight
- Records: Parker Porter (14-8-0), Braxton Smith (5-2-0)
- Weight: Parker Porter(249 lbs), Braxton Smith(262 lbs)
- Referee: Gary Copeland
Phil Hawes vs Ikram Aliskerov
- Result: Ikram Aliskerov won via KO at 2:10 of round 1
- Division/title: Middleweight
- Records: Phil Hawes (12-4-0), Ikram Aliskerov (14-1-0)
- Weight: Phil Hawes(185 lbs), Ikram Aliskerov(186 lbs)
- Referee: Gasper Oliver
Joseph Holmes vs Claudio Ribeiro
- Result: Claudio Ribeiro won via TKO (punches) at 3:21 of round 2
- Division/title: Middleweight
- Records: Joseph Holmes (8-4-0), Claudio Ribeiro (11-3-0)
- Weight: Joseph Holmes(189 lbs), Claudio Ribeiro(185 lbs)
- Referee: Gary Copeland
EVENT NOTES
The bout for UFC Bantamweight Championship between Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo was earlier rumored for UFC 287 PPV. However, the bout was later announced by Sterling for this event. UFC confirmed this bout as the main event via a press release on March 8, 2023.
The event took place at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ, as first revealed by writer & podcaster Ryan Fredericks. UFC confirmed the location via press release on March 8, 2023. It was the first UFC PPV in Newark since UFC 169 in February 2014, and the first UFC event since 2019.
Charles Oliveira vs Beniel Dariush bout was earlier announced as the co-main event. However, an injury to Oliveira pushed the bout to UFC 289 PPV instead. With the card suddenly appearing weaker, UFC arranged a new co-main event between Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad, which would be a welterweight bout.
Rafael Estevam was supposed to face Carlos Candelario at UFC Vegas 71. After Candelario pulled out of his fight and Nate Maness pulled out of UFC 288, Maness’ opponent Zhalgas Zhumagulov was booked against Estevam.
Bryce Mitchell was initially booked to face Jonathan Pearce at this event. Pearce pulled out of the event due to injury and was replaced by Movsar Evloev. Just 5 days before the event, Mitchell also pulled out of the bout due to a back injury. Deigo Lopes agreed to face Evloev with 5-days notice in his UFC debut.
Canceled or Postponed Bouts
- Nate Maness vs Zhalgas Zhumagulov – Maness pulled out due to injury.
- Bryce Mitchell vs Jonathan Pearce – Pearce pulled out due to an injury.
- Andre Petroski vs Armen Petrosyan – Petroski pulled out due to an injury.
- Charles Oliveira vs Beniel Dariush – Oliveira pulled out due to an injury and the bout is moved to UFC 289.
- Byrce Mitchell vs Movsar Evloev – Mitchell pulled out due to a back injury.
- Zhalgas Zhumagulov vs Rafael Estevam – Estevam did not come for weigh-in due to medical issue
- Johnny Munoz Jr. vs. Daniel Santos – Santos pulled out of injury
Debuts
- Ronaldo Bedoya
- Ikram Aliskerov
- Braxton Smith
- Diego Lopes
PERFORMANCE BONUS
- Fight of the Night – Movsar Evloev vs Diego Lopes
- Performance of the Night – Yan Xiaonan, Matt Frevola
All 4 fighters get $50,000 each in performance bonuses.