Betting On UFC 288: Odds Favor A New Bantamweight Champion

• The main card of UFC 288 begins this Saturday at 10 PM
• UFC 288 can be purchased for $79.99 on ESPN+
• A separate ESPN+ subscription is required to order UFC 288

This Saturday, the main event of UFC 288 is a Bantamweight Championship match between title holder Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo. Odds are now posted at UFC betting sites, with negative moneylines for both combatants across the board.

Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo

• Bovada: Sterling -105, Cejudo -115
• BetUS: Sterling -110, Cejudo -120
• BetOnline: Sterling -103, Cejudo -117

Champion Aljamain Sterling can be considered the underdog, although his moneyline odds only trail the challenger by a range of 10 to 14, depending on where you place your UFC bets.

If you are line shopping for the best sportsbook payouts, there is a little room on the boards to take advantage. Sterling bets should be placed at BetOnline and their -103 moneyline.

Cejudo bets should be placed at Bovada, as his -115 moneyline odds require the least amount of risk. Here is the tale of the tape for Sterling vs. Cejudo.

 

Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo Tale Of The Tape
	Aljamain Sterling	Henry Cejudo
Record	22-3	16-2
Height	5’7”	5’4”
Weight	135 Lbs.	135 Lbs.
Reach	71”	64”
Leg Reach	39”	37”
Wins By Knockout	3	1
Wins By Submission	8	1
Age	33	36

 

The most likely outcome for UFC 288’s main event is a Cejudo win by a decision based on current round betting lines. Other UFC props favor an outcome where the fight goes the distance.

Kron Gracie vs. Charles Jourdain

• Bovada: Gracie +150, Jourdain -180
• BetUS: Gracie +150, Jourdain -180
• BetOnline: Gracie +150, Jourdain -175

Another match included on the main card is Charles Jourdain vs. Kron Gracie, a name that commands respect in the realm of mixed-martial-arts. Kron is a member of the Gracie Family, who are innovators of Brazillian jiu-jitsu and had a lot of success in the early incarnations of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Between 2008 and 2013, Gracie compiled a 28-11 record competing in professional grappling. At 34 years old, Gracie is getting a late start on his UFC career. His bout against Jourdain on Saturday will only be his third with the promotion and his seventh MMA fight overall.

The online MMA betting sites that are listed in our online sportsbook reviews are unified in their belief that Jourdain will beat Gracie. Here is Gracie and Jourdain’s tale of the tape.

 

Kron Gracie vs. Charles Jourdain Tale Of The Tape
	Kron Gracie	Charles Jourdain
Record	5-1	13-6-1
Height	5’9”	5’9”
Weight	145 Lbs.	145 Lbs.
Reach	70”	69”
Leg Reach	39”	39”
Wins By Knockout	0	8
Wins By Submission	5	4
Age	34	27

 

Unlike the round betting options for the main event, the Gracie Jourdain fight is not expected to go the distance. Even though Gracie is the underdog, the most likely outcome included in method of victory betting lines is Kron winning via submission.

All of Gracie’s MMA wins have been by submission, a common trait of his jiu-jitsu discipline. Jourdain is also a practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and he’s got an edge on Gracie in a few key categories.

Jourdain is the more skilled striker and is also adept at submission techniques. He is also 7 years younger than Gracie, with nearly four times as many MMA fights under his belt.

Sources – UFC.com, ESPN

UFC 288 Betting Odds: Bovada, BetUS, BetOnline

• Bovada Review, BetUS Review, BetOnline Review