UFC 288 delivered an exciting night of fights at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. In the main event, Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo clashed in a highly anticipated bantamweight championship bout that went the distance. Here’s a rundown of the key matchups from the event.
Aljamain Sterling Retains Bantamweight Title in Split Decision
The main event of UFC 288 saw Aljamain Sterling defend his bantamweight title against former champion Henry Cejudo. The fight was a closely contested affair, with both fighters showing their strengths in the cage. In the end, Sterling managed to hold on to his title by winning a split decision (47–48, 48–47, 48–47).
#ANDSTILL 🏆@FunkmasterMMA defends his belt at #UFC288! pic.twitter.com/H3EU9t1yCA
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) May 7, 2023
Belal Muhammad Dominates Gilbert Burns
Belal Muhammad put on a dominant performance in the co-main event against Gilbert Burns. Muhammad controlled the fight from start to finish and picked up a unanimous decision victory (50–45, 49–46, 49–46). The win marks Muhammad’s fifth straight victory in the welterweight division.
Yan Xiaonan Knocks Out Jéssica Andrade
Yan Xiaonan put on a show-stopping performance in her strawweight matchup against Jéssica Andrade. Xiaonan landed a brutal punch that knocked Andrade out cold in just 2 minutes and 20 seconds of the first round. The victory improves Xiaonan’s UFC record to 8-2 and puts her in the conversation for a future title shot.
Wow!!
Xiaonan Yan just put herself into title contention at #UFC288!! pic.twitter.com/V3YvNT2Ufq
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) May 7, 2023
Movsar Evloev Earns Unanimous Decision Over Diego Lopes
Movsar Evloev and Diego Lopes put on a back-and-forth featherweight bout that was highly entertaining. Evloev was ultimately able to pick up a unanimous decision victory (29–28, 29–28, 30–27) over Lopes. The win marks Evloev’s sixth straight victory in the UFC.
Charles Jourdain Dominates Kron Gracie
Charles Jourdain put on a dominant performance against Kron Gracie in their featherweight matchup. Jourdain controlled the fight from start to finish and picked up a unanimous decision victory (30–27, 30–27, 30–27). The win improves Jourdain’s UFC record to 5-5 and puts him back in the win column after two straight losses.
Other Results
The preliminary card saw a number of exciting fights, including a first-round TKO victory for Matt Frevola over Drew Dober, Kennedy Nzechukwu’s technical submission victory over Devin Clark via a guillotine choke, and Virna Jandiroba’s unanimous decision victory over Marina Rodriguez. The early preliminary card saw Parker Porter’s TKO victory over Braxton Smith, Ikram Aliskerov’s KO victory over Phil Hawes, and Claudio Ribeiro’s TKO victory over Joseph Holmes.
Overall, UFC 288 delivered an exciting night of fights that showcased some of the best talents in the UFC. The event featured a mix of dominant performances and closely contested matchups, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next UFC event.
Full UFC 288 Results
UFC 288 – Main Card
| Fight | Winner | Method | Score/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bantamweight: Aljamain Sterling (c) vs Henry Cejudo | Aljamain Sterling defeated Henry Cejudo | Decision (split) | 47–48, 48–47, 48–47 |
| Welterweight: Belal Muhammad vs Gilbert Burns | Belal Muhammad defeated Gilbert Burns | Decision (unanimous) | 50–45, 49–46, 49–46 |
| Women’s Strawweight: Yan Xiaonan vs Jéssica Andrade | Yan Xiaonan defeated Jéssica Andrade | KO (punches) | Round 1, 2:20 |
| Featherweight: Movsar Evloev vs Diego Lopes | Movsar Evloev defeated Diego Lopes | Decision (unanimous) | 29–28, 29–28, 30–27 |
| Featherweight: Charles Jourdain vs Kron Gracie | Charles Jourdain defeated Kron Gracie | Decision (unanimous) | 30–27, 30–27, 30–27 |
UFC 288 – Preliminary Card
| Fight | Winner | Method | Score/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight: Matt Frevola vs. Drew Dober | Matt Frevola defeated Drew Dober | TKO (punches) | Round 1, 4:08 |
| Light Heavyweight: Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Devin Clark | Kennedy Nzechukwu defeated Devin Clark | Technical Submission (guillotine choke) | Round 2, 2:28 |
| Welterweight: Khaos Williams vs. Rolando Bedoya | Khaos Williams defeated Rolando Bedoya | Decision (split) | 27–30, 29–28, 29–28 |
| Women’s Strawweight: Virna Jandiroba vs. Marina Rodriguez | Virna Jandiroba defeated Marina Rodriguez | Decision (unanimous) | 29–28, 29–28, 30–27 |
UFC 288 – Early Preliminary Card
| Fight | Winner | Method | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight: Parker Porter vs Braxton Smith | Parker Porter defeated Braxton Smith | TKO (punches) | 1:10 |
| Middleweight: Ikram Aliskerov vs Phil Hawes | Ikram Aliskerov defeated Phil Hawes | KO (punches) | 2:10 |
| Catchweight (189 lb): Claudio Ribeiro vs Joseph Holmes | Claudio Ribeiro defeated Joseph Holmes | TKO (punches) | 2:21 |
