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Who do the best UFC betting sites favor to win the main event at UFC 288? Aljamain Sterling. Who has a 22-3, 14-3 UFC record, is going to defend his bantamweight title versus UFC veteran Henry Cejudo, who is 16-2, and 10-2 in the UFC).

Cejudo will be returning following three years of absence from MMA. The five-round championship bout will take place at UFC 288 on May 6th from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. It is going to be co-headlined by a clash between Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad.

UFC 288 Sterling vs. Cejudo Betting Information

Date: Saturday, May 06, 2023
Time: 8:00 P.M. CST
Location: Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey
TV Coverage: ESPN+ PPV.

UFC 288 Odds by BetOnline

Fighter Odds
Cejudo -106
Sterling -119


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Betting Henry Cejudo

Ring rust following three years away from the Octagon will be an obvious factor, but Cejudo (that’s odd; his eyebrows look normal to me), in top shape, has what it takes to beat Sterling. Few brawlers in the UFC can brag about a wrestling background like that of Henry’s.

As an Olympic gold winner, “The Messenger” (don’t shoot him) will have no difficulty on the mat. He has defended 93% of takedown attempts. Sterling, his wrestling ability notwithstanding, may find himself outdone in the takedown department.

That will force him to fight off his back. He can do that with ease, but it will cost him precious control time. Cejudo has to keep this fight locked in closely. That is to say, clinches, knees, and trips will all come in handy for the 36-year-old, who will be facing a seven-inch reach disadvantage.

Expect Henry Cejudo to whack Sterling on separations, and then unleash back in for some more action. Cejudo is going to want to have a busy fight where he can put his short, explosive energy to good use.

Betting Aljamain Sterling

The Funky One is one tall drink of water, and that will help his jiu-jitsu off his back. Does he pack enough striking power to tame the seasoned Cejudo, though? We do not foresee a lot of outcomes in which Aljamain Sterling can take advantage of Cejudo with his punching.

On the other hand, he might employ some overhands and jabs in order to set up a takedown. That part of the bout is going to be all about the positioning and the angles more than it is going to be about knocking out his foe.

Sterling’s forte is as a submission wonder (four of his 14 wins have been by submission). He is the lord and master of the back mount and of the rear-naked (thankfully not literally) choke sequence, but we
are not so sure that that is something that he is going to be able to do against Cejudo.

Aljo ran through a hurt TJ Dillashaw, and prior to that, he dominated Petr Yan in five rounds. He hasn’t really gone up against a grappler with Cejudo’s credentials. Cejudo has never been made to tap out (as a matter of fact, no one has ever even tried to submit him). That is a cause for concern for users of the best online sportsbooks who are considering betting on Sterling, seeing as how the New Yorker’s only other path to victory would be by five-round decision.

UFC 288 Henry Cejudo vs. Aljamain Sterling

This one should be fun to watch, but we are picturing a similar scenario to Jon Jones’ outing at UFC 285. Cejudo, like Jones, raises public questions about whether he is ready following years away from the Octagon, only for the veteran to come back and run roughshod through a high-quality opponent, making everyone who doubted him eat crow.

Sterling will present a stiffer challenge than Ciryl Gane did, but our instinct tells us that Cejudo will give the world a reminder of why he is one of the best fighters in UFC history. Our official prediction for is that Cejudo is going to win within the distance and he will do so in UNDER 3.5 rounds.

UFC 288 Muhammad vs. Burns Odds by BetOnline

Fighter Odds
Muhammad +110
Burns -130


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These two are very evenly matched, but Burns’ aggressive streak is what sets him apart. He has got the killer instinct, while Belal, his nigh-demonic name notwithstanding Muhammad’s defense is quite good, going 58% versus significant strikes, and the American tends to lure opponents into methodical, boring even, battles that play to his finesse.

Gilbert Burns must not fall into that trap. Conversely, he needs to go on the warpath, which is what helped him to knock down Kamaru Usman and Khamzat Chimaev in the early stages of his career. We don’t see Burns getting a submission, but he’ll be plenty successful should he put the pressure on and let his fists fly.

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