Saturday marks a singular milestone for UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. He’ll face former champion Henry Cejudo on the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, in the principle occasion of UFC 288. It will likely be his first essential occasion in 19 bouts within the UFC.

“I never really cared about the main event spot until I saw it like this [on the billboards outside the arena],” Sterling stated Wednesday at UFC 288 media day. “Well, that actually is pretty damn cool and it does feel good.”

Cejudo is on a brief listing of the best fighters in MMA historical past. If he returns after a three-year absence and defeats Sterling after which goes on to finally win a featherweight belt, it could be a large story and may effectively crown him the game’s GOAT.

Will Sterling construct on his legacy by bullying the previous two division champ? Or will Cejudo recapture gold after sitting on the sidelines for the final three years? Yahoo Sports betting analyst Mark Drumheller believes Sterling’s size and reach will be the difference in this fight.

In the co-main occasion, welterweights Belal Muhammad and Gilbert Burns meet in a five-round bout to find out the following title contender, according to UFC president Dana White.

Yahoo Sports can have full protection of those fights and the whole lot that goes down at UFC 288, so maintain it locked right here for all the main points.

UFC 288 reside tracker

UFC 288 essential card, odds (Live now on ESPN+ PPV)

All odds via BetMGM.

• Bantamweight: Aljamain Sterling (C) (+100) vs. Henry Cejudo (-120)

• Welterweight: Belal Muhammad def. Gilbert Burns by unanimous determination (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)

• Women’s strawweight: Xiaonan Yan def. Jessica Andrade by TKO (punches) at 2:20 of R1

• Featherweight: Movsar Evloev def. Diego Lopes by unanimous determination (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

• Featherweight: Charles Jourdain def. Kron Gracie by unanimous determination (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

UFC 288 prelims full outcomes

Story continues

• Welterweight: Khaos Williams def. Rolando Bedoya by cut up determination (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)

• Women’s strawweight: Virna Jandiroba def. Marina Rodriguez by unanimous determination (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)

UFC 288 early prelims full outcomes