UFC 288 LIVE: Cejudo vs Sterling updates and results

Aljamain Sterling defends the UFC bantamweight title against Henry Cejudo tonight, as the latter returns after three years away in a bid to regain the belt.

Cejudo retired from MMA in 2020, moments after retaining the title, which he previously held alongside the flyweight belt. Sterling, 33, went on to win the gold in 2021 and has retained it twice since, and the Jamaican-American puts it on the line again in the main event of UFC 288 tonight.

American Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, is emerging from retirement in an attempt to reclaim the bantamweight strap, and a future shot at the featherweight title is also on the 36-year-old’s radar.

If Cejudo were able to overcome Sterling in New Jersey tonight and then take the featherweight belt, he would become the only three-division champion in UFC history. That is a tall task, however, with Sterling in his prime and fresh off a TKO win against former champion TJ Dillashaw.

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UFC 288 LIVE

• UFC 288 - Sterling vs Cejudo: Prelims begin at 1am BST with main card scheduled for 3am BST

• Burns vs Muhammad serves as co-main event

• Big fight preview: The greatest fighter you’ve never heard of is back at UFC 288

UFC 288 LIVE - Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Devin Clark

02:06 , Alex Pattle

Next up is a light-heavyweight clash between Kennedy Nzechukwu and Devin Clark.

UFC 288 LIVE - Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya

02:04 , Alex Pattle

Khaos Williams def. Rolando Bedoya via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28).

Bedoya wins all three rounds on one judge’s scorecard, but he comes up short overall!

UFC 288 LIVE - Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya

02:01 , Alex Pattle

Round 3

We’ll go to the judges’ scorecards.

UFC 288 LIVE - Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya

01:59 , Alex Pattle

Round 3

This fight is tough to score; Bedoya might have edged the first two rounds, or it could be 19-19, or Williams may be ahead! Indy Sport is leaning towards the second scenario.

Hard low kick by Williams early in this final round. He then slings Bedoya against the fence, but the Peruvian gets free again.

One-two upstairs by Bedoya, then a knee to the body.

UFC 288 LIVE - Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya

01:55 , Alex Pattle

Round 2

The striking exchanges are so back and forth. Bedoya just about lands a head kick.

Bedoya is making his UFC debut here and entered with an 11-fight win streak.

UFC 288 LIVE - Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya

01:52 , Alex Pattle

Round 2

Bedoya, with ex-UFC star Diego Lima in his corner, coninues to switch stances.

He’s caught with a left hook after landing a leg kick. UFC light-heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill is in Williams’ corner.

UFC 288 LIVE - Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya

01:49 , Alex Pattle

Round 1

Bedoya lands a spinning back kick to the body in a frenzied exchange!

A fun first round is in the books.

UFC 288 LIVE - Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya

01:48 , Alex Pattle

Round 1

More clean strikes from Bedoya, but he eats a grazing right hand from Williams, too.

Bedoya is southpaw again, and once more he’s caught on the end of a right hand.

Williams briefly grapples Bedoya against the fence once more, before landing a knee to the body as the fighters separate.

UFC 288 LIVE - Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya

01:46 , Alex Pattle

Round 1

Bedoya with a couple of early low kicks from southpaw, before he’s backed up by a flurry of punches to the head.

Now Williams kicks low. Bedoya with a counter left hook, and he then switches to orthodox.

Bedoya tags Williams with a couple of sharp jabs, and Williams opts to grab ahold of his opponent and force him to the fence.

Bedoya soon breaks free, however.

UFC 288 LIVE - Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya

01:43 , Alex Pattle

Bedoya is fighting out of LIma, Peru. Meanwhile, Williams fights out of Michigan.

UFC 288 LIVE

01:38 , Alex Pattle

Next up, Khaos Williams and Rolando Bedoya go head to head at welterweight.

UFC 288 LIVE

01:34 , Alex Pattle

Virna Jandiroba def. Marina Rodriguez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).

Two of those scorecards feel a bit kind towards Rodriguez.

That’s a huge win for ninth-ranked Jandiroba, meanwhile, as she beats No 5 in the division.

UFC 288 LIVE

01:31 , Alex Pattle

Rodriguez vs Jandiroba – Round 3

Rodriguez is able to keep this round standing longer than the first two, but she’s still being pressured by Jandiroba.

Eventually, Jandiroba is able to do what she did in the first two frames, taking down Rodriguez and tying up her legs.

It’s another clear round for Jandiroba, and all we await now is the official decision.

UFC 288 LIVE

01:25 , Alex Pattle

Rodriguez vs Jandiroba – Round 2

Jandiroba with fierce elbows to end another impressive round for her.

Rodriguez needs something big in Round 3...

UFC 288 LIVE

01:22 , Alex Pattle

Rodriguez vs Jandiroba – Round 2

Jandiroba shoots for a single-leg takedown with Rodriguez near the fence.

It’s Rodriguez who ends up on top, though, before Jandiroba tries for a leg lock in response.

Now Jandiroba is able to get on top and tie up both legs, as she did in Round 1.

UFC 288 LIVE

01:19 , Alex Pattle

Rodriguez vs Jandiroba – Round 1

Jandiroba lets go of the hold but is able to follow up with heavy strikes in close.

Now Jandiroba gets back to grappling her fellow Brazilian, and that’s how a dominant round ends for the No 9 strawweight.

UFC 288 LIVE

01:17 , Alex Pattle

Rodriguez vs Jandiroba – Round 1

Jandiroba is able to take the back, and she has one hook in – her left leg.

Rodriguez twists, and Jandiroba is into half-guard, firing off punches to the body.

Now Jandiroba targets the head of Rodriguez with more punches and an elbow.

She’s looking for a Kimura lock now...

UFC 288 LIVE

01:14 , Alex Pattle

Rodriguez vs Jandiroba – Round 1

Jandiroba shoots for a takedown early, driving Rodriguez to the fence and getting her to the mat.

Jandiroba has her compatriot’s legs tied up and is looking to advance the position without giving up control.

She’s struggling, however, and the crowd is booing right now...

UFC 288 LIVE

01:09 , Alex Pattle

This one is an all-Brazilian affair.

UFC 288 LIVE

01:08 , Alex Pattle

The regular prelims begin with a women’s strawweight bout between Marina Rodriguez and Virna Jandiroba.

Rodriguez is ranked fifth in the division, while Jandiroba is No 9.

UFC 288 LIVE

01:01 , Alex Pattle

Here’s a round-up of the early prelim results:

Parker Porter def. Braxton Smith via first-round TKO (2:10)

Ikram Aliskerov def. Phil Hawes via first-round KO (2:10)

Claudio Ribeiro def. Joseph Holmes via second-round TKO (3:21)

UFC 288 LIVE

01:00 , Alex Pattle

The regular prelims will get under way any moment now!

Live fight updates incoming!

UFC 288 LIVE

Sunday 7 May 2023 00:40 , Alex Pattle

Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling is in our pound-for-pound top 10 – but where does he rank?

Find out here...

The Independent’s pound-for-pound UFC rankings

UFC 288 LIVE

Sunday 7 May 2023 00:20 , Alex Pattle

If you’re new to mixed martial arts, then you might not have heard of Henry Cejudo until this week, given his three-year absence from the sport...

Here’s a piece to get you caught up on how the former dual-weight champion, and Aljamain Sterling, arrived at this moment:

The greatest fighter you’ve never heard of is back at UFC 288

UFC 288 LIVE

Sunday 7 May 2023 00:00 , Alex Pattle

Here’s tonight’s card in full (subject to late changes):

Main card

Aljamain Sterling (C) vs Henry Cejudo (bantamweight title)

Gilbert Burns vs Belal Muhammad (welterweight)

Jessica Andrade vs Yan Xiaonan (women’s strawweight)

Movsar Evloev vs Diego Lopes (featherweight)

Kron Gracie vs Charles Jourdain (featherweight)

Prelims

Drew Dober vs Matt Frevola (lightweight)

Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Devin Clark (light-heavyweight)

Khaos Williams vs Rolando Bedoya (welterweight)

Marina Rodriguez vs Virna Jandiroba (women’s strawweight)

Early prelims

Braxton Smith vs Parker Porter (heavyweight)

Phil Hawes vs Ikram Aliskerov (middleweight)

Joseph Holmes vs Claudio Ribeiro (middleweight)

Who is fighting on UFC 288 undercard tonight?

UFC 288 LIVE

Saturday 6 May 2023 23:40 , Alex Pattle

UFC 288 will air live on BT Sport in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights.

In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass.

How to watch UFC 288 online and on TV tonight

UFC 288 LIVE

Saturday 6 May 2023 23:20 , Alex Pattle

Here are your important timings for tonight:

The early prelims got under way at 11pm BST (3pm PT, 5pm CT, 6pm ET), and the regular prelims will follow at 1am BST (5pm PT, 7pm CT, 8pm ET this evening).

The main card is then scheduled for 3am BST (7pm PT, 9pm CT, 10pm ET this evening).

Our live fight updates will begin with the regular prelims at 1am BST!

What time does UFC 288 start in UK and US tonight?

UFC 288 LIVE

Saturday 6 May 2023 23:00 , Alex Pattle

Aljamain Sterling defends the UFC bantamweight title against Henry Cejudo tonight, as the latter returns after three years away in a bid to regain the belt.

Cejudo retired from MMA in 2020, moments after retaining the title, which he previously held alongside the flyweight belt. Sterling, 33, went on to win the gold in 2021 and has retained it twice since, and the Jamaican-American puts it on the line again in the main event of UFC 288 tonight.

American Cejudo, an Olympic gold medalist in wrestling, is emerging from retirement in an attempt to reclaim the bantamweight strap, and a future shot at the featherweight title is also on the 36-year-old’s radar.

If Cejudo were able to overcome Sterling in New Jersey tonight and then take the featherweight belt, he would become the only three-division champion in UFC history. That is a tall task, however, with Sterling in his prime and fresh off a TKO win against former champion TJ Dillashaw.