UFC 288 Results: Sterling vs. Cejudo

UFC 288 brought championship pressure and a high-profile comeback to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on May 6, 2023. Aljamain Sterling defended his bantamweight title against returning former champion Henry Cejudo, while Belal Muhammad strengthened his welterweight credentials in a five-round co-main event against Gilbert Burns.

Sterling wins the championship chess match

Sterling retained his belt by split decision after five competitive rounds. Cejudo returned following nearly three years away, bringing Olympic wrestling credentials and the experience of a former two-division UFC champion. Sterling’s reach, movement and grappling made that return a demanding assignment.

The result was Sterling’s third successful title defense. A split verdict reflected disagreement between the judges, but it should not be confused with a draw or an overturned result: Sterling left Newark as the champion. The contest rewarded sustained positioning and careful exchanges more than a single spectacular moment.

Muhammad and Yan make their cases

Muhammad defeated Burns by unanimous decision over five rounds. The win added another established contender to his résumé and kept him firmly in the welterweight title discussion. Burns completed the contest despite a difficult night; Muhammad’s performance was an important result in its own right.

Yan Xiaonan supplied the main card’s emphatic finish, knocking out former strawweight champion Jessica Andrade in the opening round. Movsar Evloev also remained unbeaten with a decision over late replacement Diego Lopes. Although Lopes lost his UFC debut, his submission threats made the matchup far more interesting than a routine replacement fight.

The preliminary card matters too

Matt Frevola stopped Drew Dober late in round one, and Kennedy Nzechukwu submitted Devin Clark in the second. Ikram Aliskerov’s knockout of Phil Hawes offered another memorable debut. Together, these results gave UFC 288 depth beyond its title fight: emerging contenders, experienced veterans and newcomers all had consequential nights. The complete results below include every completed bout.

Complete UFC 288 results

• Aljamain Sterling def. Henry Cejudo — Split decision, R5, 5:00.
• Belal Muhammad def. Gilbert Burns — Unanimous decision, R5, 5:00.
• Yan Xiaonan def. Jessica Andrade — KO (punch), R1, 2:20.
• Movsar Evloev def. Diego Lopes — Unanimous decision, R3, 5:00.
• Charles Jourdain def. Kron Gracie — Unanimous decision, R3, 5:00.
• Matt Frevola def. Drew Dober — TKO (punches), R1, 4:08.
• Kennedy Nzechukwu def. Devin Clark — Technical submission (guillotine choke), R2, 2:28.
• Khaos Williams def. Rolando Bedoya — Split decision, R3, 5:00.
• Virna Jandiroba def. Marina Rodriguez — Unanimous decision, R3, 5:00.
• Parker Porter def. Braxton Smith — TKO (punches), R1, 2:10.
• Ikram Aliskerov def. Phil Hawes — KO (punch), R1, 2:10.
• Claudio Ribeiro def. Joseph Holmes — TKO (punches), R2, 3:21.

Sources

UFC 288 official results; UFC 288 official judges' scorecards; Event results record.

Article Tags

UFC, UFC 288, Mixed Martial Arts