Former champion Henry Cejudo comes out of retirement hell-bent on reclaiming the title he never lost when he faces reigning bantamweight king Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288 in Newark on Saturday night (Sunday morning SA time), writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Top-five welterweights Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns will look to cement a title shot when they collide in the co-main event at the Prudential Center, as will leading strawweight contenders Jessica Andrade and Yan Xiaonan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Plus, two featherweight fights will see the undefeated Movsar Evloev battle Diego Lopes and Kron Gracie make his much-anticipated return against Charles Jourdain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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On May 9, 2020, Cejudo (16-2) went out on top. He had just knocked out Dominick Cruz in the second round to retain the bantamweight championship and announced that the bout would be his last. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He had done it all and retired as the most decorated combat athlete of all time, a distinction he earned by becoming an Olympic gold medallist in freestyle wrestling and one of just five fighters in UFC history to hold two titles simultaneously. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He\u2019d achieved Olympic glory in 2008, ended Demetrious Johnson\u2019s legendary reign to become UFC flyweight champion a decade later and attained double champ status with a TKO win over Marlon Moraes to add the bantamweight belt to his collection in 2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The self-same 135-pound belt has belonged to Sterling (22-3) since 2021 but despite legitimately being one of the division\u2019s elite, his reign has lacked the respect usually reserved for champions. That\u2019s because he \u2018won\u2019 the belt by disqualification after being struck by an illegal knee by Petr Yan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Funkmaster\u201d proved some of his doubters wrong when he beat the Russian by split decision in the rematch and sought to put a stamp on his reign by taking out former two-time champion TJ Dillashaw last August. Again, victory proved bittersweet as Dillashaw\u2019s shoulder popped out and Sterling quickly picked the bones to score a second-round TKO. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dillashaw\u2019s revelation after the fight that it had been a pre-existing injury left a sour taste and robbed Sterling of the statement win he needs to cement himself as the best in the world. He gets that opportunity this weekend, a golden chance to take down an icon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cejudo is a born winner. He not only has the heart of a champion but also the mind and drive that separates the good from the great and the great from the iconic. He\u2019s a bona fide legend, a one-of-a-kind super athlete whose legacy as an all-time great is already secured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet, the hunger for competing at the highest level remains. True to his nature, he jumps right back into the deep end. No tune-up fight. No. He wants the toughest possible challenge, the champion, and prove that, after three years away, he\u2019s been the true gold standard all along. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rust won\u2019t be an issue. A lifelong athlete and student of the game, Cejudo\u2019s stayed sharp physically and mentally, lending his mind to some of the best fighters around in a consultant coaching capacity. At 36, he\u2019s far from over the hill and just three years Sterling\u2019s senior. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Aside from his unrivalled wrestling, \u201cTriple C\u201d is an absolute combat genius. His fight IQ, ability to execute a game plan or make mid-fight adjustments are second to none. Sterling\u2019s an intelligent fighter from a great camp in Serra-Longo, but Cejudo\u2019s one of the most cerebral fighters in mixed martial arts history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Much of Sterling\u2019s success is also down to wrestling. The former Division I wrestler uses unorthodox striking to set up takedowns and either controls or finishes fights from there. A world-class grappler, he has eight submissions to his name and boasts arguably the best rear-naked choke in the business. He\u2019s not known as a human backpack for nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He has a big size advantage over 5’4″ Cejudo \u2013 three inches in height and seven inches in reach. Cejudo, though, is used to being the smaller man and uses speed and perpetual motion to get off on opponents and\/or take them down. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s an obvious gulf between Olympic and Division I wrestling and I\u2019d be surprised if Sterling scores a traditional takedown. He\u2019ll have to chain wrestle and mix in guillotine attempts to try to trip up Cejudo. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For his part, Cejudo should be able to put the champion on his back, where he has the nous to stay safe from submissions and rack up control time while on the feet, he\u2019s adept at closing distance and landing solid punches (eight knockouts) in the pocket and the clinch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I expect a clinical and cerebral Cejudo to reclaim the crown after 25 minutes of elite-level action, although, I won\u2019t be shocked if he signalled his return with a TKO. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prediction:<\/strong> Cejudo by decision.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Best Bet: <\/strong>Cejudo at 1.86.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternative Bet:<\/strong> Cejudo by decision at 3.00.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n No organisation rolls with the punches like the UFC. Two weeks out from the event, the UFC had to book a new co-headliner after injury forced Charles Oliveira out of his clash with Beneil Dariush. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Muhammad and Burns stepped up on short notice and stand to be rewarded as theirs is no ordinary co-main event. Instead of the usual three rounds, their featured fight is scheduled for five and it\u2019s believed the winner will earn a future title shot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ranked fourth and fifth, both are on a roll and as evenly matched as it gets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Higher-ranked Muhammad, who\u2019s 22-3, is a powerful wrestler on a nine-fight win streak dating back to 2019. Constantly overlooked because of his methodical, grinding style, \u201cRemember the Name\u201d has picked off one contender after the other, including former title challenger Stephen Thompson and Vicente Luque, in pursuit of a maiden championship opportunity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n His latest win, a TKO victory over previously unbeaten Sean Brady, was just his sixth finish. He\u2019s renowned for being a high-pressure tactician and economical striker who\u2019s heavy on wrestling and usually outpoints opponents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Burns isn\u2019t necessarily a finisher but he\u2019s the more dangerous fighter both on the feet and the ground. His record reflects this with the Brazilian being 22-5 with six knockouts and nine submissions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDurinho\u201d has heavy hands and solid striking, which even saw him drop Kamaru Usman in his first title shot in 2021, but it\u2019s his next-level grappling that\u2019s his greatest strength. A multi-time jiu-jitsu world champion, he\u2019s an expert at grounding, controlling and\/or submitting foes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a fight so evenly matched, the short-notice nature of the bout holds the key. Burns is battle-ready, having already won two fights this year, submitting Neil Magny in a flawless performance in January and retiring ex-title challenger Jorge Masvidal less than a month ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Muhammad, on the other hand, last fought in October and only ended his Ramadan fasting on 22 April. As a result, as of two weeks ago when the fight was announced, he was 13 pounds heavier than usual and needed to cut 19 pounds to make the 170-pound limit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This week will be a struggle for him weight-cutting-wise and the extremes he puts his body through give Burns the advantage. A submission win is possible, but it\u2019s more likely that Burns will win a decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prediction: <\/strong>Burns by decision.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Best Bet: <\/strong>Burns at 1.80. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternative Bet:<\/strong> Burns by decision at 3.50.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cue the fireworks in this high-stakes strawweight scrap in which the victor could set up a clash with champion Zhang Weili later this year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite standing at just 5’1″, Andrade (24-10) is one of the most frightening female fighters in MMA history. The diminutive dynamo is a Mike Tyson-like striker who walks opponents down and drops bombs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fuelled by bad intentions, she boasts nine knockouts<\/a> and if that wasn\u2019t enough, she\u2019s a powerful, highly-skilled grappler as well with eight submissions to her name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Few have the guts to engage with the former strawweight queen, who drops back down to her best weight class, which is what makes this such an anticipated showdown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yan (16-3) is an ultra-aggressive striker who\u2019ll take the fight to \u201cBate Estaca.\u201d The first female Chinese fighter signed to the UFC, she\u2019s well-versed on the feet and is a volume striker as opposed to a power-punching berserker like Andrade. As a result, all seven of her wins inside the Octagon have come by decision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While Yan\u2019s naturally aggressive style will make for an exciting fight, it\u2019ll also likely lead to her downfall as she\u2019ll walk into heavy blows and open herself up to takedowns. I\u2019m leaning towards Andrade winning via finish instead of by decision, but I\u2019m happy to take the money line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prediction: <\/strong>Andrade by TKO.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Best Bet:<\/strong> Andrade at 1.51.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternative Bet: <\/strong>Andrade by KO\/TKO\/DQ at 3.25.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n After stepping in on short notice for Jonathan Pierce to face fellow emerging featherweight talent Bryce Mitchell, Evloev now finds himself with a new opponent with Mitchell forced to pull out due to injury on Tuesday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A Russian wrestling machine, Evloev scored a decision win over Dan Ige last time out to move to a perfect 16-0 (6-0 in the UFC) and 10th in the rankings. A relentless pursuer, no one has been able to thwart his high-pressure grappling offence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Subbing in for Mitchell is ambitious finisher Lopes (21-5), who couldn\u2019t let an opportunity to make his UFC debut pass by. A Dana White\u2019s Contender Series alum, Lopes boasts a 95% stoppage rate (eight knockouts and 11 submissions).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Evloev is levels above the debutant and should be able to get the finish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prediction: <\/strong>Evloev by stoppage. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Best Bet: <\/strong>Evloev by KO\/TKO\/Submission\/DQ. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alternative Bet: <\/strong>Evloev by KO\/TKO\/DQ.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A member of the legendary Gracie family, Kron (5-1) carries on their legacy as a former Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion and next-level submission artist who\u2019s secured all of his wins by tap out. He\u2019s been missing in action for over three years, so it remains to be seen what condition he\u2019s in and whether he\u2019s added layers to his game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Jourdain (13-6-1) is well-rounded and a violent assassin with all but one of his wins coming by finish (eight knockouts and four submissions). He\u2019s a high-level switch hitter, loves bloody brawls and is tough as nails. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any bet on Gracie is a gamble rather than an educated pick given he\u2019s been in the wilderness for so long. Jourdain would\u2019ve trained takedown defence to no end and should be able to keep the fight standing where he\u2019ll find the finish to spoil Gracie\u2019s comeback. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Prediction:<\/strong> Jourdain by knockout.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Best Bet: <\/strong>Jourdain by KO\/TKO\/DQ at 2.30.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nBelal Muhammad (2.05) v Gilbert Burns (1.80) (Welterweight)<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Jessica Andrade (1.51) v Yan Xiaonan (2.65) (Strawweight)<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Movsar Evloev (1.16) v Diego Lopes (5.50) (Featherweight)<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Kron Gracie (2.55) v Charles Jourdain (1.55) (Featherweight)<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n