Henry Cejudo v Aljamain Sterling predictions and UFC 288 betting tips

Where to watch UFC 288

BT Sport 1, from 3am Sunday morning

Best bets

Aljamain Sterling
2pts Evs Hills

Aljamain Sterling to win by decision
1pt 5-2 Hills

UFC 288 preview

Henry Cejudo returns from a three-year hiatus to face bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC 288 at the Prudential Center in New Jersey in the early hours of Sunday.

Sterling, who won the title via disqualification after Petr Yan landed an illegal knee at UFC 259, is riding an eight-fight win streak as he prepares to make the third defence of his belt.

Cejudo, one of the greatest to ever step into the octagon, hasn't fought for three years but he's a former two-weight champion - holding the bantamweight and flyweight belts simultaneously - and an Olympic gold medallist.

Triple C relinquished those belts only when choosing to retire, but he's back and keen to prove he still has the tools to mix it at the top of the sport.

This could prove to be a contest for the purists with both fighters leaning heavily on their wrestling skills rather than looking to stand and strike.

Ultimately, Cejudo's long absence could prove to be the deciding factor as the quality of the division has improved greatly during his absence.

Sterling has won three of his last five fights by decision - he beat TJ Dillashaw by TKO and earned a win over Yan by disqualification - and 12 of his 25 bouts have gone the distance, so backing him to win by decision at 5-2 appeals.

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