UFC 288: Block Six Preview
The UFC returns with a stacked numbered event from Newark, NJ this weekend, with Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo competing for the Bantamweight Title...
We preview this week's six featured Block Six fights below. Submit your picks now for a chance to win up to $10,000 in $BLOCK and our $250 'Performance of the Night' bonus.
Aljamain Sterling v Henry Cejudo
The main event at this weekend's event in Newark, NJ sees Aljamain Sterling defend his Bantamweight title against the returning, former two-weight champion Henry Cejudo.
Sterling has faced significant criticism lately, mainly because he initially won the title following an illegal knee from Petr Yan in March 2021. However, his critics often overlook his victory in a rematch against Yan a year later, as well as his knockout win against an outclassed and injured TJ Dillashaw in October. With a winning streak of eight fights since April 2018, Sterling's legitimacy is undeniable.
Cejudo's comeback is certainly the narrative for this event. At 36 years old, Cejudo has been missing in action since May 2020. A former multi-divisional champion in both bantamweight and flyweight, Cejudo's last loss dates back to December 2016. Known for voicing his opinions on his contract, it's likely he's receiving a substantial sum for his return, which is well-earned.
Cejudo's 2008 Summer Olympics gold medal in freestyle wrestling is well-documented, but his MMA career only truly took off when he improved his striking. Once a weak point, by his own admission, Cejudo's stand-up had become a formidable asset. His last three victories against Dominick Cruz, Marlon Moraes, and Dillashaw were all knockouts, achieved when each opponent was considered among the best in their weight class.
Concerns regarding Cejudo's time away and age are valid, but the primary challenge for Henry will be overcoming Sterling's significant size advantage. Aljo boasts a three-inch height advantage and a staggering seven-inch reach advantage. He's large for the division and fights with physicality, so despite Cejudo's clear wrestling advantage, it won't be as simple as overpowering Sterling, who has a 41 percent takedown defense.
This fight is a toss-up in every sense. While Cejudo has been impressive in the past, supporting an older fighter with an extended absence presents numerous risks. Cejudo has a history of competing at flyweight, while Sterling is preparing for a featherweight campaign. This size difference should not be overlooked when making a decision for this match.
Belal Muhammad v Gilbert Burns
The co-main event for this card was left vacant after the cancellation of the Charles Oliveira vs. Beneil Dariush bout. Impressively, Burns and Muhammad agreed to a five-round co-headliner just a few weeks ago, which is anticipated to be a title eliminator at 170 pounds. Both fighters deserve significant praise for accepting such a high-stakes match on short notice.
Burns was last seen in action as recently as one month ago, decisively defeating Jorge Masvidal in a one-sided unanimous decision win. With a 9-2 record in his last 11 fights, Burns' two losses occurred during crucial matches against Kamaru Usman for the championship and against Khamzat Chimaev. Despite these losses, Burns had noteworthy moments in both bouts.
Muhammad, one of the sport's rising stars, enters the match with an eight-fight winning streak and an unbeaten record in his last nine bouts (8-0, 1NC). His only loss dates back to November 2016. Both Belal and Burns have demonstrated significant improvement as they've aged.
These fighters are both large and rely on their physicality for success. Burns is well-known for his grappling prowess, holding a third-degree BJJ black belt and numerous grappling competition wins. He's not someone you'd want to grapple with in the welterweight division.
Muhammad's achievements stem from his toughness, resilience, and strategic wrestling. With only one knockout in his professional career, Belal averages 2.19 takedowns per 15 minutes and has an impressive 92 percent takedown defence rate. In contrast, Burns averages 2.16 takedowns per 15 minutes, but his takedown defence stands at a mere 47 percent. Belal should focus on staying on his feet during the fight, neutralising Gilbert's most significant advantage and potentially giving him an opportunity to win in the stand-up.
Jessica Andrade v Yan Xiaonan
Jessica Andrade will look to bounce back from a recent defeat to a highly skilled newcomer, Erin Blanchfield. Having been outmatched and ultimately submitted via rear-naked choke early in the second round to the rookie, Andrade will look to make amends against Yan Xiaonan this Saturday. However, it's worth noting that Blanchfield may simply be an exceptional talent, as Andrade's previous four losses were against former UFC champions (Valentina Shevchenko, Rose Namajunas, Zhang Weili, Joanna Jedrzejczyk).
Xiaonan's UFC journey has been peculiar. While her 7-2 record is respectable, a closer look raises some concerns. Firstly, all seven victories were by decision, indicating that she will eventually need to secure stoppages. Secondly, her two losses were against her most formidable opponents to date, Carla Esparza and Marina Rodriguez. Approaching her 34th birthday in July, Yan appears to be a capable top-10 strawweight with limited potential beyond that. However, adding a victory over Andrade to her resume would change everything.
There is some concern that Andrade may be returning to the Octagon too soon after her disappointing performance against Blanchfield. However, this matchup otherwise seems favourable for her.
Xiaonan's vulnerability on her feet is evident, and there is no doubt that Andrade possesses the power advantage. The Brazilian can be reckless in the stand-up, which is concerning, but Xiaonan's inability to secure finishes somewhat mitigates this issue.
In addition to her superior stand-up skills, Andrade is also expected to have a significant strength advantage. While not a traditional wrestler, her immense strength allows her to force takedowns.
Assuming the loss to Blanchfield was an anomaly rather than a sign of decline, Andrade should be able to handle Yan without much difficulty.
Mosvar Evloev v Diego Lopes
Following Bryce Mitchell's recent withdrawal, Diego Lopes steps in to make his UFC debut against Mosvar Evloev.
Ranked #10 in the Featherweight division, Movsar Evloev boasts an undefeated professional record of 16-0 (6-0 UFC) with notable victories over Dan Ige, Hakeem Dawodu, and Seung Woo Choi.
Diego Lopes, holding a professional record of 21-5 (0-0 UFC), will make his Octagon debut with noteworthy wins over Ángel Rodríguez, Kenneth Glenn, and Marco Beltran.
So far, Movsar Evloev has proven to be unstoppable in his UFC career. After a successful debut against Seung Woo Choi in 2019, Evloev has secured a six-fight winning streak within the UFC. His latest performance against Dan Ige saw him dominate with striking and wrestling, leading to a unanimous decision. Evloev will be eager to secure his first UFC finish when he faces promotional newcomer Diego Lopes.
Diego Lopes has landed an incredible opportunity. The Brazilian, fighting out of Puebla de Zaragoza, Mexico, has been a professional fighter since 2012. Despite an impressive 21-5 record, he has struggled to find success in high-profile opportunities, suffering defeats in his Contender Series bout and Fury FC debut. However, Lopes can now leave that behind and will need to utilise all his skills to achieve a massive upset victory in this matchup.
Kron Gracie v Charles Jourdain
This pay-per-view main card opener is an unusual fight and quite challenging to analyse from a technical perspective.
Gracie hails from the most renowned BJJ family in the sport's history, boasting numerous grappling tournament victories and the ability to submit any opponent given the opportunity. However, turning 35 in early July, he has only six professional MMA fights and hasn't competed since October 2019. Predicting Gracie's performance on Saturday with any certainty is impossible.
In contrast, Jourdain has been consistently active, fighting three times in both 2021 and 2022. Although he won three of his previous four bouts, consecutive decision losses to Nathaniel Wood and Shane Burgos put him in a must-win situation. Charles has a knack for looking impressive even in defeat, and his exciting fighting style could help him overcome the odds. However, taking that risk would be significant.
During Gracie's last appearance, he lost a unanimous decision to Cub Swanson. Despite Swanson being a formidable opponent, Kron's fight IQ seemed severely lacking. He attempted only two takedowns, both unsuccessful, and chose to exchange blows with an experienced fighter, which proved costly. A similar approach against Jourdain would likely result in another loss.
Charles is prone to engaging in brawls due to his aggressive stand-up style, but ironically, this could be advantageous for him against a one-dimensional ground specialist like Gracie.
Jourdain has just one submission defeats in 20 professional fights, indicating that it isn't a significant weakness. Aware of Gracie's abilities, Jourdain should fare well as long as he remains on his feet. However, his record of being taken down in five consecutive fights is concerning, even though Gracie isn't a seasoned wrestler.
In summary, it's implausible to back a soon-to-be 35-year-old with only six professional fights and a 3.5-year hiatus. Gracie may be able to overpower some fringe-roster fighters based on raw talent, but Jourdain isn't one of them.
Phil Hawes v Ikram Aliskerov
In this matchup, middleweight alumni of Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS) face off, as Phil Hawes takes on Ikram Aliskerov, who is making his UFC debut.
Hawes has had a mixed record since joining the Octagon, achieving a 4-2 record overall but suffering two stoppages in his last three fights.
Aliskerov, on the other hand, secured a quick submission victory over Mario Souza after taking him down to earn his UFC contract.
Russian 30-year-old Aliskerov aims to extend his five-fight winning streak by defeating Hawes this weekend, and is the bookie's pick heading into this intriguing contest.
