Aljamain Sterling won a split decision over Henry Cejudo in the UFC 288 main event, marking his third straight successful title defense and setting a record for the best streak of any bantamweight champion in UFC history.
Aljamain Sterling was pushed to his limits by Henry Cejudo, and the official scorecards showed just how close the fight was. In the main event of UFC 288 on Saturday in Newark, N.J., Sterling scored a split decision over the returning Cejudo by the slimmest margin. While two judges scored the fight 48-47 in Sterling’s favor, the other scored it 48-47 for Cejudo.
The official scorecard revealed that all three judges agreed Sterling won the first and fourth rounds, while Cejudo took the third round. The results of the second and fifth rounds were disputed and ultimately tipped the balance towards Sterling. Neither fighter was able to assert themselves for extended periods during the striking or grappling phases of the fight. Although Sterling appeared to have the edge in standup exchanges, Cejudo did not look out of place despite this being his first fight since 2020.
Sterling’s third consecutive successful title defense not only set the record for the best streak of any bantamweight champion in UFC history but also marked his second title defense that was determined by a split decision. The close nature of the fight sparked debates and prompted a poll questioning whether the judges made the right call in the UFC 288 main event.