UFC 288 pre-event facts: Henry Cejudo returns in pursuit of more history
The UFC returns to New Jersey for the first time in nearly four years Saturday with UFC 288, which takes place at Prudential Center in Newark with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.
The bantamweight championship will be on the line in the main event. Reigning titleholder Aljamain Sterling (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) will attempt to record his third consecutive defense when he welcomes former two-division champion Henry Cejudo (16-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) back after a three-year retirement.
For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for UFC 288.
Aljamain Sterling
Aljamain Sterling
Sterling is one of five fighters in UFC history to hold the undisputed bantamweight title.
Sterling’s eight-fight UFC winning streak in bantamweight competition is tied with Merab Dvalishvili for the longest active streak in the division.
Sterling’s eight-fight UFC winning streak in bantamweight competition is tied with Dvalishvili the longest active streak in divisional history. Four other fighters had winning streaks end at seven.
Sterling’s 13 victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied with T.J. Dillashaw for most in divisional history.
Sterling’s four submission victories in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Urijah Faber (six) and Rani Yahya (six).
Henry Cejudo
Henry Cejudo
Cejudo returns to competition for the first time since May 9, 2020. The 1,092-day layoff is the longest of his more than 10-year career.
Cejudo is one of eight fighters in UFC history to win titles in two weight classes. Jon Jones, B.J. Penn, Conor McGregor, Amanda Nunes, Daniel Cormier, Georges St-Pierre and Randy Couture also accomplished the feat.
Cejudo is one of four simultaneous two-division champions in UFC history. McGregor, Nunes and Cormier also accomplished the feat.
Cejudo is one of three fighters in in UFC history to record successful title defenses in two weight classes. Cormier and Nunes also accomplished the feat.
Cejudo is the only MMA fighter to win an Olympic gold medal and a UFC championship.
Cejudo is one of three Olympic gold medalists to fight in the UFC, along with Kevin Jackson and Mark Schultz. He earned gold in freestyle wrestling at the 2008 summer Olympics.
Cejudo is the only Olympic gold medalist to fight in the UFC since the organization was purchased by parent company Zuffa.
Cejudo is 7-0 in bantamweight competition during his career.
Cejudo has landed at least one takedown in all but one of his UFC fights where he’s attempted a takedown.
Belal Muhammad
Belal Muhammad
Belal Muhammad (22-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) is 12-1 with one no contest in his past 14 fights dating back to February 2017. His lone defeat came against Geoff Neal at UFC on ESPN+ 1.
Muhammad’s nine-fight UFC unbeaten streak at welterweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Leon Edwards (12).
Muhammad has earned 16 of his 22 career victories by decision. That includes 10 of his 13 UFC wins.
Muhammad’s 10 decision victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Neil Magny (13) and Georges St-Pierre (12).
Muhammad defends 92.7 percent of opponent takedown attempts in UFC welterweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Kamaru Usman (97.3 percent).
Gilbert Burns
Gilbert Burns
Gilbert Burns (22-5 MMA, 15-5 UFC) becomes the second fighter to make three UFC appearances in 2023. Charles Johnson also accomplished the feat.
Burns has competes in his third UFC co-headliner of 2023. He also fought at UFC 283 on Jan. 21 and UFC 287 on April 8.
Burns is 7-2 since he returned to the welterweight division in August 2019. He’s 8-2 when fighting at the weight class.
Burns’ three armbar submission victories in UFC competition are tied for third-most in company history behind D. Johnson (four) and Royce Gracie (four).
Jessica Andrade vs. Yan Xiaonan
Jessica Andrade
Jessica Andrade (24-10 MMA, 15-8 UFC) competes in her 24th UFC bout, the most appearances by any female in company history
Andrade is one of 17 fighters in UFC history to earn victories in three weight classes. She’s the only female to accomplish the feat, winning at bantamweight, flyweight and strawweight.
Andrade’s 15 UFC victories are tied with Amanda Nunes for the most by any female in company history.
Andrade’s eight stoppage victories in UFC women’s competition are second most in company history behind Nunes (10).
Andrade’s five stoppage victories in UFC strawweight competition are tied with Rose Namajunas and Amanda Lemos for most in divisional history.
Andrade is one of 12 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a slam. She accomplished the feat at UFC 237.
Andrade is one of four in history to win a UFC title fight by knockout stemming from a slam. She accomplished the feat at UFC 237.
Andrade landed 231 significant strikes against Lauren Murphy at UFC 283, the single-fight record for a UFC women’s flyweight bout.
Andrade landed 231 significant strikes at UFC 283, the second most in a three-round fight in UFC history behind Nate Diaz’s 238 landed vs. Donald Cerrone at UFC 141.
Andrade landed 242 total strikes against Claudia Gadelha at UFC Fight Night 117, the single-fight record for a UFC strawweight bout.
Andrade earned the only standing arm-triangle choke submission in UFC history with her finish of Amanda Lemos at UFC Fight Night 205.
Andrade’s 10 takedowns landed against Tecia Torres at UFC on FOX 29 is the single-fight record for a women’s UFC bout.
Andrade’s eight fight-night bonuses for UFC strawweight bouts are most in divisional history.
Yan Xiaonan (14-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) is 11-2 (with one no contest) since returning from a nearly five-year layoff in July 2015.
Xiaonan has earned all seven of her UFC victories by decision.
Movsar Evloev vs. Bryce Mitchell
Evloev
Movsar Evloev’s (16-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at featherweight is tied with Jonathan Pearce for the second-longest active streak in the division behind Alexander Volkanovski (10).
Evloev has earned all six of his UFC victories by decision.
Evloev has completed 29 takedowns in his six UFC appearances.
Evloev has landed two or more takedowns against five of his six UFC opponents.
Bryce Mitchell’s (15-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) absorbs just 1.71 significant strikes per minute in UFC featherweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Yahya (1.05) and Pat Sabatini (1.5).
Mitchell lands 59.1 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.
Mitchell is one of two fighters in UFC history to earn a Twister submission victory. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 7. Chan Sung Jung also won with the technique.
Kron Gracie vs. Charles Jourdain
Kron Gracie
Kron Gracie (5-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) returns to competition for the first time since Oct. 12, 2019. The 1,302-day layoff is the longest of his more than eight-year career.
Drew Dober vs. Matt Frevola
Drew Dober
Drew Dober (26-11 MMA, 13-6 UFC) becomes the 12th lightweight to make 21 UFC appearances.
Dober’s eight knockout victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied with Dustin Poirier for most in divisional history.
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Devin Clark
Kennedy Nzechukwu
Kennedy Nzechukwu (11-3 MMA, 5-3 UFC) has earned all seven of his career stoppage victories by knockout.
Nzechukwu earned a knockout at UFC 259 despite a -64 deficit in significant strikes landed, the biggest statistical comeback for a light heavyweight bout and third overall in UFC history.
Devin Clark (14-7 MMA, 8-7 UFC) has earned all seven of his UFC victories by decision.
Marina Rodriguez vs. Virna Jandiroba
Marina Rodriguez
Marina Rodriguez (17-2-2 MMA, 6-2-2 UFC) has earned five of her six UFC victories by decision.
Rodriguez’s two knockdowns landed in UFC strawweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Lemos (five), Namajunas (four), and Angela Hill (three).
Rodriguez is the only female fighter in UFC history to fight to multiple draws.
Phil Hawes vs. Ikram Aliskerov
Phil Hawes
Phil Hawes’ (11-4 MMA, 3-2 UFC) 18-second knockout at UFC 254 marked the second-fastest debut for a middleweight in UFC history behind Mark Weir’s 10-second win at UFC 38.
Hawes lands 61.5 percent of his significant strikes in UFC middleweight competition, the best rate in divisional history.
Rafael Estevam vs. Zhalgas Zhumagulov
Zhalgas Zhumagulov
Zhalgas Zhumagulov’s (14-8 MMA, 1-5 UFC) three-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since July 2021.
Zhumagulov is 1-5 in his past six fights dating back to July 2020.
Zhumagulov lands 4.87 significant strikes per minute in UFC flyweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind John Lineker (5.43) and Alex Perez (5.24).
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 288.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
