UFC 288: Aljamain Sterling Beats Henry Cejudo Via Split Decision; Defends Bantamweight Title

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UFC 288: Aljamain Sterling Beats Henry Cejudo Via Split Decision; Defends Bantamweight Title


Aljamain Sterling landed sufficient stiff knees and elbows in a split-decision victory in opposition to a battered Henry Cejudo which will push the previous UFC two-division champion again into retirement. Moments after successful his ninth straight bout and surviving his newest 135-pound championship title protection in the primary occasion of UFC 288, Sterling’s struggle evening was solely heating up.

Bantamweight challenger Sean O’Malley stepped contained in the cage, stripped off his jacket and stood nose-to-nose with Sterling (23-3) as the 2 fighters launched into profanity-laced tirades in opposition to one another and finally wanted to be separated. “Get this (expletive) out of my cage,” Sterling shouted Saturday evening on the Prudential Center.

They would possibly get their championship match later this summer season. UFC President Dana White needed Sterling-O’Malley to struggle in August in Boston — and never late evening in New Jersey.

“It was a bad idea,” White cracked of inviting O’Malley contained in the octagon. Cejudo’s comeback after a three-year retirement additionally might need been a foul thought. Cejudo, the one particular person to win an Olympic gold medal and a UFC title, held the bantamweight crown when he abruptly retired in May 2020 after he efficiently defended the championship in opposition to Dominick Cruz.

Cejudo mentioned he was a “little confused” about his future plans and would return house to his household — his spouse is anticipating the couple’s second little one — and assume exhausting about his struggle future. He was wildly cheered via all 5 rounds by 17,559 followers that paid to observe Cejudo attempt to flip again the clock.

“Who knows, this may be the last time in the octagon,” he mentioned. The 33-year-old Sterling received 48-47, 48-47 on two scorecards and Cejudo received 48-47 on the third. “I hate losing but it’s also been three years,” Cejudo mentioned.

Sterling, a Long Island, New York native, efficiently defended the bantamweight championship for a file third time. At 21, Cejudo (16-3) turned the youngest American to seize an Olympic wrestling gold medal when he received the freestyle 55-kilogram division in 2008.. At 36, Cejudo might lastly name it quits as an alternative of constant to chase one other UFC championship.

White shook Cejudo’s hand contained in the cage and helped the fighter take away his gloves for maybe the ultimate time. “I’m out here to chase greatness,” Cejudo said. “If I can’t make history, I’m not doing this. I didn’t win. The belt’s not around my waist.”

Cejudo discovered greatness in UFC when he turned the fourth fighter to carry titles in two completely different weight courses concurrently, and the second to defend titles in two completely different weight divisions.

Belal Muhammad (23-3, 1 NC) landed sufficient stiff kicks to Gilbert Burns’ higher physique to earn a unanimous determination victory within the 170-pound five-round struggle. UFC fighter Conor McGregor bashed the struggle on Twitter.

He wasn’t alone in his biting critique of a bland struggle that earned loads of boos from the New Jersey crowd.

Muhammad and Burns exchanged a couple of kicks within the third and the group let the fighters have it on the finish of one other spherical on the cardboard that suffered from a deficiency of sustained motion. Burns appeared to harm his left shoulder on a failed takedown try and couldn’t muster a lot offense, one purpose for the methodical tempo.

Muhammad was booed when he was introduced because the 50-45, 49-46, 49-46 winner after which instructed the group, “New Jersey, you suck.” The win stamped Muhammad — who took the struggle on simply over two-weeks’ discover and prolonged his successful streak to 5 and his unbeaten streak to 10 straight fights — as a high contender for a title shot in opposition to Leon Edwards.

It’s no shock Burns (22-6) ended the bout in tough bodily form. The Brazilian already received a struggle at UFC 283 in January and he retired Jorge Masvidal in a win at UFC 287 on April 8. The struggle was rushed onto the cardboard after issues with the unique co-main occasion between Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush pushed the struggle to subsequent month.

If the New York Mets want so as to add some punch within the lineup, possibly they’ll discover out if Matt Frevola is obtainable. A diehard Mets fan who threw the primary pitch at a sport final month, Frevola had Mets proprietor Steve Cohen — who was soundly booed when proven on the large display screen — watching cageside for his bout in opposition to Drew Dobler.

Frevola added to the Mets theme when he walked out to Timmy Trumpet’s signature track “Narco,” which belonged to injured reliever Edwin Diaz.

The Long Island native had followers singing “Steam-roll-a!” within the brief time he was within the cage. Frevola scored a TKO win over Drew Dobler at 4:08 of the primary spherical for his third straight first-round end.

On the primary struggle on the primary card, Charles Jourdain defeated Kron Graice by unanimous determination in a struggle so uninteresting that followers turned on their digital camera cellphone lights to entertain themselves.

“Sorry guys, it was not the most exciting fight,” Jourdain mentioned after ending off the one-dimensional Gracie.

Movsar Evloev defeated Diego Lopes by unanimous determination in a struggle Lopes accepted on five-days discover after an harm pressured Bryce Mitchell to drop out. Yan Xiaonan clobbered former UFC strawweight champion Jéssica Andrade with an enormous proper and pounded away at her fallen foe for a TKO victory at 2:20 of the primary spherical.

Yan’s victory might set her up for a 115-pound championship match in opposition to fellow Chinese fighter Zhang Weili.





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