The UFC bantamweight title is up for grabs at UFC 288 as Aljamain Sterling defends the title against Henry Cejudo, who is coming out of a three-year retirement.
UFC 288 takes place at the Prudential Center in New Jersey on May 6 and airs on ESPN+ PPV in the U.S.
Sterling, a two-time NCAA Division III All-American wrestler, won the UFC bantamweight title by DQ following an illegal knee by Petr Yan at UFC 259. He won the rematch in April 2022 and beat T.J. Dillashaw in October. On an eight-fight win streak, "Funk Master" is ready to prove to his doubters that his reign is far from over.
Cejudo won the UFC flyweight title in 2017 and the UFC bantamweight title in 2019. A double champion, his last fight was against Dominick Cruz, who he defeated via TKO in 2020.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 288 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
Looking to get back the title he never lost, "Triple C" is motivated by enhancing his Hall of Fame career. With a win, he could look to fight at featherweight and add more gold to his trophy case.
“It’s more of me rekindling my love for the game, for the love of the competition, and then doing it,” Cejudo said on his YouTube channel via MMA Weekly. “I’m not just done with Aljamain. My overall goal, and I’ll say it again, is to go up to 145 pounds and do something that nobody has ever done.”
Per Bet MGM, Aljamain Sterling is the -120 favorite, while Henry Cejudo is the +100 underdog. Can Cejudo defy the odds, or will Sterling retain bantamweight gold?
Looking to buy UFC 288? Here's all you need to know to watch the event, including the price.
How to watch UFC 288: Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Sat. May 6 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Sat. May 6 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sun. May 7 | BT Sport |
| Australia | Sun. May 7 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
The main card for UFC 288 is available in the U.S. and Mexico on the ESPN+ subscription streaming service for a pay-per-view cost. Earlier fights are viewable live on ESPN+.
In Canada, the main card pay-per-view is available on BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass
In the United Kingdom, the main card will be available on BT Sport, with the prelims available on UFC Fight Pass.
In Australia, the main card will be on Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, and UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass.
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Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo PPV price: How much does UFC 288 cost?
- $79.99 (current ESPN+ subscribers)
- $124.98 (new subscribers)
In the U.S., the UFC 288 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 288 is $79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $124.98 for the UFC 288 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
MORE: Sign up to watch the UFC 288 PPV, exclusively on ESPN+
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $9.99/month |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $99.99/year |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $12.99/month |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $19.99/month |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $79.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $124.98, then $99.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle | $79.99, then $12.99/month |
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
When is UFC 288: Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo?
- Date: Saturday, May 6 | Sunday, May 7
- FIGHT PASS Prelims: 6 p.m. ET | 10 p.m. ET GMT | 9 a.m. AEDT
- Prelims: 8 p.m. ET | 12 a.m. GMT | 11 a.m. AEDT
- Main card: 10 p.m. ET | 2 a.m. GMT | 1 p.m. AEDT
- Main event: 12:15 a.m. ET | 4:15 a.m. GMT | 3:15 p.m. AEDT (approx.)
UFC 288 takes place on May 6. The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET | 10 p.m. ET GMT | 9 a.m. AEDT, followed by the prelims at 8 p.m. ET | 12 a.m. GMT | 11 a.m. AEDT. The UFC 288 main card will begin at 10 p.m. ET | 2 a.m. GMT | 1 p.m. AEDT.
UFC 288 fight card
Main card
- Aljamain Sterling (c) vs. Henry Cejudo for the UFC bantamweight title
- Belal Muhammad vs. Gilbert Burns; Welterweights
- Jessica Andrade vs. Yan Xiaonan; Strawweights
- Diego Lopes vs. Movsar Evloev; Featherweights
- Kron Gracie vs. Charles Jourdain; Featherweights
Prelims
- Drew Dober vs. Matt Frevola; Lightweights
- Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Devin Clark; Light Heavyweights
- Khaos Williams vs. Rolando Bedoya; Welterweights
- Marina Rodriguez vs. Virna Jandiroba; Strawweights
FIGHT PASS Prelims
- Braxton Smith vs. Parker Porter; Heavyweights
- Phil Hawes vs. Ikram Aliskerov; Middleweights
- Joseph Holmes vs. Claudio Ribiero; Middleweights
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The Sporting News may earn an affiliate commission through our links when you sign up for a streaming service. The Sporting News' affiliates have no influence over the editorial content included in this article.
