MMA Event Breakdown - UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo
MMA Event Breakdown – UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo
After a run of lackluster cards in the increasingly tiresome UFC Apex, fans and fighters alike are excited to get back on the road this week for a pay-per-view showcase in Newark, New Jersey. Headliner Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling is not medically cleared to compete in his home state of New York, so the UFC has decided to do the next best thing by giving him his first headlining opportunity in his local market. As for his opponent, Henry Cejudo stands to become one of the most established fighters of his era and of all time. He has wins over legendary fighters like Dominick Cruz, TJ Dillishaw, and Marlon Moraes inside the distance, and he outpointed the great Demetrius Johnson to unseat him from his reign of terror over the flyweight division. Can Cejudo achieve the greatness he strives for, or will Aljamain Sterling silence the doubters once again while defending home turf against the oncoming King of Cringe?
Joseph Holmes vs. Claudio Riberio
Fight Odds: +150 Holmes vs. -175 Riberio
Weight Class: 185lb. (Middleweight)
Both Joseph Holmes and Claudio Riberio can be described as fairly green fighters with a lot to learn inside the octagon. Holmes was finished by the Iron Turtle Jun Yong Park in his last fight, a matchup that proved to be too much for him on the feet and on the mat. He also was left stranded after the disbanding of Glory MMA and the scandal surrounding it. Holmes is now training with WAR Training Center in Texas and he claims to have made huge improvements in his stand up footwork and defense. Riberio on the other hand was knocked out by heavy handed slugger Abdul Razak Al Hassan in his promotional debut, but he was having success with his own leg kicks and punches prior to the stoppage.
Riberio is very physically strong and gifted with natural power, but his style leaves him open to being taken down and hit cleanly on the counter. Holmes has a bigger frame as is, and he was the fighter who missed weight by more than 3 pounds for the middleweight limit. This is a volatile fight, certainly one of the lowest level fights on the card. Holmes is a live underdog, but he will need to fight a clean, careful fight to get the win here while retaining his consciousness against a dangerous puncher. Riberio can be backed up along the fence, controlled in the clinch, and taken down, so it’s hard to trust him, especially returning so quickly after a KO loss.
Prediction: Joseph Holmes defeats Claudio Riberio via KO2