UFC 288
UFC 288 was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) that took place on May 6, 2023, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.[1] The event marked the UFC's return to Newark since UFC 244 in 2019 and featured a main card headlined by a bantamweight championship bout between defending champion Aljamain Sterling and former two-division champion Henry Cejudo, who was returning from a nearly four-year retirement.[2] In the co-main event, welterweight contenders Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns competed for a potential title eliminator spot.[3] The pay-per-view main card was headlined by Sterling's retention of the bantamweight title via a controversial split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47) over Cejudo after five rounds of grappling-heavy action, marking Cejudo's first loss since 2016.[4] Muhammad dominated Burns with a unanimous decision victory (50-45, 49-46, 49-46), solidifying his position as a top welterweight contender.[4] Other notable main card results included Merab Dvalishvili's unanimous decision win over former champion Petr Yan (29-28 x3) and Yan Xiaonan's first-round TKO triumph over Jessica Andrade via punches at 2:20.[4] The event featured several upsets and finishes on the undercard, including Beneil Dariush's first-round TKO of former lightweight champion Charles Oliveira at 4:10, Kai Kara-France's second-round TKO (injury) of Amir Albazi, Khaos Williams' split decision over Rolando Bedoya (27-30, 29-28, 29-28), Kennedy Nzechukwu's second-round submission of Devin Clark, Matt Frevola's first-round d'arce choke of Drew Dober, Charles Jourdain's unanimous decision over Kron Gracie (30-27 x3), Ikram Aliskerov's debut first-round knockout of Phil Hawes, Claudio Ribeiro's second-round TKO of Joseph Holmes at 3:21, and Mana Martinez's unanimous decision over Richie Jaramillo (29-28 x3).[4] Overall, UFC 288 drew attention for Cejudo's comeback, the main event's divisive judging, and several finishes that propelled fighters like Dariush and Muhammad toward contention.[5]Event Details
Date and Venue
UFC 288 took place on May 6, 2023, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, United States.[1] The arena, which has a capacity of approximately 19,500 for mixed martial arts events, hosted the promotion's ninth event in the city.[6] This marked the UFC's return to Newark after a nearly four-year absence, with the previous event being UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Lawler on August 3, 2019.[7] The event schedule followed the standard UFC pay-per-view format, beginning with early preliminary bouts at 6:00 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass, followed by preliminary card action at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+, and the main card starting at 10:00 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.[1] As part of the UFC's 2023 pay-per-view lineup, it featured a bantamweight championship main event.[8]Attendance and Financials
UFC 288 attracted an official attendance of 17,559 spectators to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, marking a sold-out event that approached the venue's configured capacity for mixed martial arts bouts.[9][10] This figure represented a significant increase from prior UFC events at the same arena, such as the 2019 UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Lawler card, which drew 10,427 fans.[11] The event generated a total gate revenue of $5,182,210.36 from ticket sales, establishing it as the highest-grossing sports event in Prudential Center history at the time.[9][10][12] This amount reflected a 653.6% rise compared to the $687,778 gate of the 2019 Newark event, underscoring the growing commercial appeal of UFC pay-per-views in the region.[11] Detailed ticket sales breakdowns were not publicly disclosed by the promotion, though the per-ticket average, derived from the total gate divided by attendance, was approximately $295.[10] Earlier UFC cards in Newark had lower financial returns; for instance, UFC 159 in 2013 produced a gate of $2.7 million, while UFC on Fox 15 in 2015 reached $1.2 million, highlighting the escalation in revenue over the years leading to UFC 288.[13] The 2023 event's success contributed to an overall economic impact of $25.1 million for Newark, driven largely by out-of-state visitors and local spending.[14]Background
Announcement and Promotion
UFC 288 was officially announced on March 7, 2023, through a press release from the Ultimate Fighting Championship, confirming the event's date as May 6, 2023, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, along with initial fight bookings such as Charles Oliveira versus Beneil Dariush.[15] The main event, featuring bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling defending his title against former two-division champion Henry Cejudo, was confirmed three days later on March 10, 2023, highlighting Cejudo's return from a three-year retirement.[16] Promotional efforts centered on Cejudo's highly anticipated comeback, positioning the bout as a historic clash where the 36-year-old Olympian aimed to reclaim the bantamweight title he vacated in 2020 and potentially pursue unprecedented achievements in mixed martial arts.[17][18] Sterling's narrative as the division's dominant force seeking his third title defense added to the intrigue, with marketing emphasizing the stylistic matchup and Cejudo's "gold-driven and history-driven" motivations.[19] The UFC launched a multi-platform marketing campaign, including the UFC Embedded vlog series with six episodes released weekly leading up to the event, offering behind-the-scenes access to fighters like Sterling, Cejudo, Gilbert Burns, and Belal Muhammad during training and media obligations.[20] A pre-fight press conference on May 4, 2023, at the Prudential Center featured verbal exchanges between the main event fighters and generated media buzz, streamed live on UFC platforms.[21] Social media promotion was aggressive, with the UFC's official X account announcing the main event on March 11, 2023, and subsequent posts amplifying hype around the bantamweight title fight through fighter interviews and promotional graphics.[22] As part of the UFC's 2023 pay-per-view schedule, UFC 288 was positioned as a marquee numbered event following UFC 287 in April and preceding UFC 289 in June, available exclusively on ESPN+ PPV for $79.99, underscoring its status as a high-profile offering with the Sterling-Cejudo headliner driving subscriber interest.[23][1]Fight Card Changes
The UFC 288 fight card underwent several significant alterations prior to the event, primarily due to injuries, which reshaped both the main card and preliminary lineup. The most notable early change occurred in April 2023, when a highly anticipated lightweight bout between former UFC Lightweight Champion Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush was cancelled after Oliveira withdrew due to an undisclosed injury.[24] This matchup, originally positioned as a potential co-main event and No. 1 contender eliminator, was rescheduled as the co-main event for UFC 289 on June 10, 2023, in Vancouver.[25] The removal left a void in the lightweight division representation on the card, prompting the UFC to elevate other bouts without adding a direct replacement for this high-profile slot. In the featherweight division, the bout involving Bryce Mitchell experienced multiple shifts. Initially scheduled against Jonathan Pearce, the fight was altered when Pearce withdrew due to injury in mid-April 2023.[26] Undefeated prospect Movsar Evloev stepped in as a short-notice replacement to face Mitchell on the main card.[27] However, just days before the event on May 2, 2023, Mitchell was forced out by his own undisclosed injury, leading to Contender Series graduate Diego Lopes making his UFC debut against Evloev.[28] Meanwhile, the other featherweight main card bout between Kron Gracie and Charles Jourdain proceeded as originally planned, serving as a stable opener for the pay-per-view portion and providing continuity in the division's representation. These successive replacements maintained the main card's featherweight focus but introduced a debutant, adding unpredictability to what was intended as a ranked matchup. Additional disruptions affected the preliminary card, including the cancellation of a bantamweight bout between Daniel Santos and Johnny Munoz Jr. on May 4, 2023, after Santos was sidelined by an injury with no replacement found. This late scratch reduced the overall card from 13 to 12 fights, thinning the early prelims and shifting emphasis toward the remaining middleweight and heavyweight openers. No other weight misses or medical issues were reported for the final weigh-ins on May 5, 2023, ensuring the title headliner and core matchups remained intact.[29] These changes collectively diminished the card's depth, particularly in the lighter weight classes, by removing a marquee lightweight contest and a prelim bantamweight fight while relying on last-minute substitutions to preserve the main card's structure. The adjustments highlighted ongoing challenges with fighter availability but allowed the event to proceed with a balanced 12-bout lineup, prioritizing ranked contenders and title implications over filler bouts.Results
Main Card
The main card of UFC 288 featured five bouts, beginning with a featherweight matchup between Charles Jourdain and Kron Gracie. Jourdain dominated the striking exchanges throughout the three-round fight, landing 48 of 82 significant strikes compared to Gracie's 22 of 58, while Gracie attempted no takedowns and focused on pulling guard without success. In the first round, Jourdain used jabs and uppercuts to keep distance, stuffing Gracie's clinch attempts. The second round saw Jourdain continue his offensive output with combinations, as Gracie again pulled guard early but absorbed leg kicks from the top. The third round featured Jourdain targeting the body with knees and punches, securing a unanimous decision victory with scores of 30-27 across all three judges.[30] Next, featherweight contenders Movsar Evloev and Diego Lopes clashed in a high-paced bout where Evloev's wrestling edged out Lopes' early aggression. Evloev completed 4 of 7 takedown attempts for 6:42 of control time, landing 39 of 88 significant strikes, while Lopes connected on 29 of 68 strikes but failed on his single takedown try. Lopes started strong in the first round with leg kicks and a right hand that wobbled Evloev, but Evloev responded with a takedown and ground-and-pound. The second round shifted to Evloev's favor as he secured another takedown and controlled position. In the third, Evloev pressured forward, evading a late kimura attempt from Lopes to earn a unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27).[31][30] In the women's strawweight bout, Yan Xiaonan upset former champion Jéssica Andrade with a first-round knockout. Xiaonan landed 18 of 26 significant strikes in just 2:20, outpacing Andrade's 10 of 18, with no takedowns attempted by either fighter. The fight began with mutual leg kicks, but Xiaonan quickly found her range with precise punches, culminating in a devastating right hand that dropped Andrade for the referee stoppage at 2:20 of Round 1.[4] The co-main event pitted welterweights Belal Muhammad against Gilbert Burns in a five-round war marked by Muhammad's relentless pressure. Muhammad outstruck Burns 132 of 283 to 81 of 147 in significant strikes, with neither landing a takedown—Burns went 0 for 4 attempts, limited by a mid-fight left arm injury that hampered his grappling offense. In Round 1, Muhammad stunned Burns with a jab, drawing blood from his nose. Burns briefly rocked Muhammad in Round 2 with a right hand, but Muhammad regained control in Round 3 using jabs and body kicks as Burns' output dropped. Rounds 4 and 5 saw Muhammad maintain forward pressure with kicks to the body and legs, while Burns relied on single right hands and leg kicks, leading to Muhammad's unanimous decision win (50-45, 49-46, 49-46).[32][30][33] The main event for the UFC bantamweight title saw champion Aljamain Sterling defend against former two-division champion Henry Cejudo in a razor-close five-round battle. Sterling edged the striking 135 of 218 to Cejudo's 99 of 190 and completed 4 of 8 takedowns for 4:35 control time, while Cejudo succeeded on 3 of 5 takedowns for 3:12 control. Round 1 opened with Sterling's aggression via a head kick and takedown defense, ending with back control and knees (10-9 Sterling). In Round 2, Sterling landed jabs and a left hook, stuffing Cejudo's shots to maintain distance (10-9 Sterling). Cejudo stole momentum in Round 3 with a flying knee and late top control after defending takedowns (10-9 Cejudo). Sterling rebounded in Round 4, battering Cejudo's legs and landing combinations before a late takedown by Cejudo (10-9 Sterling). The final round featured Cejudo's pressure and a single-leg takedown, but Sterling scrambled effectively (10-9 Cejudo). Sterling retained the title via split decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48), a verdict that sparked controversy as many observers, including Cejudo, argued the fight was closer or favored the challenger due to the narrow margins and debated control scoring.[34][35][36][37]Preliminary Card
The ESPN-televised preliminary card at UFC 288 showcased six competitive matchups across multiple weight classes, setting the stage for the main events with a mix of knockouts, submissions, and decisions.[4] These bouts highlighted established UFC veterans against emerging talents, including a debutant in Rolando Bedoya, and produced one notable upset when unranked Matt Frevola halted the 15th-ranked Drew Dober.| Weight Class | Winner | Loser | Method | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightweight | Beneil Dariush | Charles Oliveira | TKO (strikes) | 1 | 4:10 |
| Flyweight | Kai Kara-France | Amir Albazi | TKO (leg injury) | 2 | 2:25 |
| Lightweight | Matt Frevola | Drew Dober | TKO (punches) | 1 | 4:08 |
| Light Heavyweight | Kennedy Nzechukwu | Devin Clark | Submission (guillotine choke) | 2 | 2:28 |
| Welterweight | Khaos Williams | Rolando Bedoya | Split Decision (29-28, 29-28, 27-30) | 3 | 5:00 |
| Women's Strawweight | Virna Jandiroba | Marina Rodriguez | Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27) | 3 | 5:00 |
Early Preliminary Card
The early preliminary card for UFC 288, streamed exclusively on UFC Fight Pass, showcased three bouts featuring a mix of UFC veterans and promising newcomers, highlighting developmental talent in the heavyweight and middleweight divisions.[4] In the heavyweight opener, Parker Porter secured a swift victory over UFC debutant Braxton Smith via TKO (strikes) at 2:10 of the first round, capitalizing on his ground-and-pound dominance after a takedown to overwhelm the Alaskan wrestler.[4] Porter's performance demonstrated his experience against less seasoned opponents, improving his UFC record to 3-3.[4] The middleweight bout that followed saw Ikram Aliskerov make a stunning UFC debut by knocking out Phil Hawes with a clean right hand at 2:10 of the first round, ending the fight abruptly after a competitive exchange on the feet.[4] Aliskerov's precision striking from his kickboxing background neutralized Hawes' power, marking a strong entry for the Russian fighter into the promotion.[4] Closing out the early prelims, Claudio Ribeiro defeated fellow UFC newcomer Joseph Holmes by TKO (strikes) at 3:21 of the second round, utilizing superior grappling to transition into ground strikes that forced the stoppage.[4] Ribeiro, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist, overcame an early deficit to showcase his finishing ability, while Holmes' debut was cut short despite his resilience.[4] These results set the stage for the ESPN prelims, where more established contenders took the spotlight.[4]| Weight Class | Winner | Opponent | Method | Round | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | Parker Porter | Braxton Smith | TKO (strikes) | 1 | 2:10 |
| Middleweight | Ikram Aliskerov | Phil Hawes | KO (right hand) | 1 | 2:10 |
| Middleweight | Claudio Ribeiro | Joseph Holmes | TKO (strikes) | 2 | 3:21 |