:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72256096/usa_today_19280336.0.jpg "UFC 288 start time: When does main card, Sterling vs. Cejudo begin for PPV?")
UFC 288 is set for Saturday, May 6th at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. The main event of the evening is a bantamweight title bout between Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo. These two will headline a five-bout main card that will begin at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
Aside from the main event, there are three bouts on the main card that feature ranked opponents. One to look out for is No. 4 Belal Muhammad and No.5 Gilbert Burns. Muhammed is red hot right now, having won four in a row dating back to 2021. Burns has won two in a row this year, including sending Jorge Masvidal into retirement just last month. There's a women's strawweight bout between No. 4 Jessica Andrade and No. 6 Xiaonan Yan, that is third on the card. Andrade is looking to rebound after suffering defeat to Erin Blanchfield her last time out. Yan won her last time out, defeating Mackenzie Dern via majority decision. This will be the first time the two strawweight fighters have squared off in their respective careers.
Burns is currently the betting favorite at -125, while Muhammad sits as a +105 underdog according to DraftKings Sportsbook. Andrade is the -190 favorite against Yan who is a +160 favorite.
UFC 288 will get underway at 6:00 p.m. ET with five- fights on the early preliminary card on UFC Fight Pass. Once that wraps, the regular preliminary card is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET. and will air on ESPN and ESPN+. There are currently four fights scheduled for that part of the show.
The main card is currently scheduled to get started at XXX p.m. ET and will take place live on ESPN+ PPV. Even if it is delayed, that's close enough to plan your evening accordingly. And if you only care about the main event between XXXXX vs. XXXXX, it's estimated that will start just after midnight ET.