Sterling v Cejudo UFC 288 preview & best bets – 6/5/2023

The bantamweight belt will be on the line at UFC 288 this weekend when reigning champ Aljamain Sterling defends his title against Henry Cejudo, one of the most decorated combat athletes of all time.

The most telling factor when the fighters square off at the Prudential Center in Newark may be ring rust, with Cejudo returning from a three-year hiatus, while Sterling has been an active and improving fighter during this period.

Read on to see BettingSite’s in-depth fight preview and best bets, with odds from the top UFC betting sites.

UFC 288: Sterling vs Cejudo main event preview

Aljamain Sterling vs Henry Cejudo

The scary thing about Aljamain Sterling (22-3-0) is that, at 33 years of age, he is still improving. He remains undefeated in his last eight bouts, three of them occurring at championship level. Sterling’s most recent bout resulted in a farcical knockout of perennial UFC villain T.J. Dillashaw, who entered the ring with a shattered shoulder joint, but the defending champ looked sharp and finished the job in quick fashion.

The fight prior Sterling beat Petr Yan with a deserved split-decision win, thus ending a long-running and controversial rivalry. Sterling acquired the bantamweight crown from Yan when the Russian delivered an illegal blow and the American went into Hollywood mode to ensure his opponent was disqualified. Many fans thought the move was underhanded and not within the spirit of the sport. Sterling’s recent list of scalps also includes Corey Sandhagen, Pedro Munhoz, and Jimmie Rivera.

Henry Cejudo (16-2-0) shocked the MMA world by announcing his retirement in May 2020. The two-division champ had just defeated Dominic Cruz via second-round TKO to retain the bantamweight title and appeared to be on the cusp of legend status when he chose to step away. In addition to his two UFC belts, Cejudo is also a men’s freestyle Olympic gold medallist, a unique trio of accomplishments that allows him to claim GOAT status in the world of combat sports. His list of beaten opponents includes Dillashaw, Demetrious Johnson, and Marlon Moraes.

The question going into this bout is how the lengthy layoff has affected Cejudo’s ability to compete at the top level. He is known as a hard worker in the gym who surrounds himself with high-quality training partners, but ring rust affects all athletes differently. Cejudo also faces a three-inch height and seven-inch reach disadvantage in this matchup, which may prove telling. He will need to close the distance without suffering damage, or else Sterling might just pick him apart from the outside.

Sterling vs Cejudo UFC 288 predictions & best bets

This is an enthralling fight with multiple possible storylines. Cejudo is the slight favourite, which is surprising given his physical disadvantages and questionable preparedness. He will have a slight grappling advantage, but Sterling has proven himself a dangerous submission fighter in the past with eight wins coming in that manner.

We are tipping Sterling to prevail given his generous odds. The fight looks likely to go the distance, so even better odds can be secured for Sterling to win via decision. We are keeping it simple and tipping him straight-up.