UFC 288 Betting Preview
UFC WagerTalk handicapper Andy Lang gives his UFC 288 predictions and picks for May 6 with Aljamain Sterling vs Henry Cejudo headlining the event. The main card starts up at 10pm ET from the Prudential Center, Newark, NJ.
Aljamain Sterling vs Henry Cejudo Odds: UFC 288 Main Event
| Saturday, May 6 | UFC 288 Betting Notes (Courtesy of Caesars) |
|---|---|
| Moneyline: | Aljamain Sterling -105 vs Henry Cejudo -115 |
| Rounds: | 4.5 Rounds (Over -140 / Under +120) |
| Fight Time: | Main Card Starts at 10:00pm ET / 7:00pm PT |
| Arena: | Prudential Center, Newark, NJ |
| TV: | PPV |
UFC 288 Betting Analysis
It was a nice betting week for us as we went 2-1 for +4 units as we hit our best bet, and' that brings our record to 24-13 in 2024 for +24 units, and we hit on our first Bare' Knuckle Fighting Championship official play on Rothwell+Perry parlay.
Some of these' former UFC guys are finding a home in BKFC and are winning in dominant fashion so' we'll be adding more of these plays to our portfolio.
Our plays for this week can be found here: http://wt.buzz/al
Ribeiro had an incredible performance at Contender Series with a KO in less than 30 seconds, and then got the pleasure of fighting Abdul Razak Alhassan in his first UFC fight.
He landed his brutal calf kicks early, and Alhassan wanted nothing to do with them so the veteran pushed Ribeiro up against the fence, worked the clinch game and finished him in round 2 with his elite power.
Ribeiro won't be facing anyone even remotely as scary as Alhassan this fight. Joseph Holmes made his debut against Jamie Pickett, and was exhausted after just a few minutes en route to a loss.
He then got a finish against Alen Amadovski who is one of the worst UFC fighters of all time, and then got finished by Jun Yung Park in the second round. Holmes has a weak stance on the feet with little power and his cardio is in the bottom 25% in the UFC.
His ground game and clinch are very weak, and Ribeiro will be licking his chops to show off his power. Ribeiro has leg kicks that have to be some of the strongest in the sport right now, and the way Holmes stands will let Ribeiro tee off on those skinny legs.
Ribeiro loves winding up and hitting his opponents hard, and he leaves himself open to counter shots and being pushed against the fence, but Holmes does not possess any of those skills in my opinion.
Once Ribeiro realizes he doesn't need to fear Holmes striking or takedowns, he will unload those kicks and strikes and I see a brutal KO that will end this fight.
UFC 288 Expert Predictions
Aljamain Sterling -120 v Henry Cejudo +100
This should be a war, and I think people are either all in on Cejudo or all in on Sterling. I don't have a strong opinion on the outcome, but I think these two will feel each other out at first and turn it on as the fight goes on.
I would take a prop on this fight to go over 2.5 rounds or something like that maybe as a parlay piece. Henry will clearly be wanting to turn this into a wrestling match and Sterling will not want to end up on the bottom in a scrap, but Sterling has shown he can pull out submissions so I wouldn't say it's a clear cut, sure fire advantage for Henry on the ground.
I believe ring rust is a real thing so without seeing Cejudo in action for a few years, I don't feel comfortable putting money on this fight as there are better wagers to be made on this card.
Belal Muhammad +105 v Gilbert Burns -125
I'll take this fight to go the distance. Muhammad has arguably the best fight IQ in the sport and just knows how to exploit the weakness of his opponent to get the win.
Burns doesn't have hardly any weaknesses so it's going to be tough for Belal to find something to exploit, and I think Burns has the advantage if he can get the takedown.
I lean Burns to get the win by squeaking out two rounds due to takedowns, but it's so close I see a decision for whoever wins.
Jessica Andrade -200 v Yan Xiaonan +160
I lean Andrade in this one as her losses have been to the best in womens fighting, and Yan doesn't seem to have the upside losing two out of three and beating Mackenzie Dern by just staying out of submissions for three rounds.
Andrade should just be more aggressive overall and win on the scorecards with forward pressure and striking. If you like Andrade, wait and take her to win by decision.
Bryce Mitchell +200 v Mover Evloev -250