UFC 288: How to watch Sterling vs Cejudo, start time, fight card, odds

The UFC returns to pay-per-view Saturday with UFC 288 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., with a title fight atop the card.

Here’s how to watch UFC 288 with the bantamweight title up for grabs.

UFC 288 has a main card that begins at 10 p.m. ET and streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+ beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Early prelims on ESPN+ are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET.

In the main event, bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) takes on former two-division champ Henry Cejudo (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who returns from retirement to a title shot. Sterling has eight straight wins, including title defenses over former champs Petr Yan and T.J. Dillashaw.

The co-feature in New Jersey is a hastily assembled but critical welterweight fight between title hopefuls Gilbert Burns (22-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) and Belal Muhammad (22-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC). Both have said they’ve been assured a win will put them next in line for the belt held by Leon Edwards, who is expected to fight Colby Covington next. The Burns-Muhammad fight came together on a little more than two weeks’ notice.

There will be all kinds of eyes on Braxton Smith (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) in his promotional debut against Parker Porter (13-8 MMA, 3-3 UFC). The heavyweight division loves a knockout artist, and all five of Smith’s wins are by first-round KO.

Rolando Bedoya (14-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), from Peru, will bring an 11-fight winning streak to his promotional debut at welterweight against Khaos Williams (13-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC).

A first-round kimura finish on Dana White’s Contender Series is what got Ikram Aliskerov (13-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) his shot in the UFC, which will come at middleweight against Phil Hawes (12-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC). Aliskerov comes into the bout on a five-fight winning streak.

Brazil’s Rafael Estevam (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) makes his promotional debut at flyweight against Zhalgas Zhumagulov (14-8 MMA, 1-5 UFC). Estevam came to the UFC through a TKO win on Dana White’s Contender Series.

• Aljamain Sterling (-120) vs. Henry Cejudo (-110)
• Gilbert Burns (-135) vs. Belal Muhammad (+110)
• Jessica Andrade (-200) vs. Yan Xiaonan (+160)
• Movsar Evloev (-275) vs. Bryce Mitchell (+220)
• Kron Gracie (+165) vs. Charles Jourdain (-200)

• Drew Dober (-225) vs. Matt Frevola (+185)
• Devin Clark (+175) vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu (-210)
• Rolando Bedoya (+250) vs. Khaos Williams (-300)
• Virna Jandiroba (+140) vs. Marina Rodriguez (-165)

• Parker Porter (-190) vs. Braxton Smith (+155)
• Ikram Aliskerov (-210) vs. Phil Hawes (+175)
• Rafael Estevam (-150) vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov (+125)
• Joseph Holmes (+175) vs. Claudio Ribeiro (-210)
• Johnny Munoz (+140) vs. Daniel Santos (-165)