★ Championship Bout · Bantamweight
UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo
Newark, USA
6 May 2023
Bantamweight
VS
46%
Sterling
54%
Cejudo
Win Probability
Decision
Round 5 · 5:00
Combatrics Intelligence
Data-driven breakdown · fighter metrics
Edge: Cejudo
This is a genuine toss-up — Sterling at 46% vs Cejudo at 54% (CFR ratings). One of the hardest fights to call on the card.
Key angles
The CFR gap of 11 points suggests a clear performance difference on paper.
Cejudo has beaten significantly higher-quality opposition — a QoV edge of 16 points.
Cejudo has the striking edge in both volume and accuracy.
Risk flags
Sterling's chin rating of 50 flags durability concerns based on KO history.
Cejudo has a chin rating of 68 — a potential KO vulnerability.
Sterling
Cejudo
Physical Matchup
Height · Reach · Age · Stance
5'7"+
Height
5'4"
71"+
Reach
64"
36+
Age
39
Orthodox
Stance
Orthodox
Sterling
Cejudo
Composite Fighter Rating
Overall score combining performance, win quality, momentum & durability
54.2
64.7
54.2
Performance Avg
57.5
38
Quality of Victory
54
71
Momentum Score
97
Sterling
Cejudo
Striking
Significant strikes per minute & accuracy
1.4
1.4
52%
Strike Accuracy
54%
2.7
Striking Style Score (/10)
5.3
2 KOs
KO Finishes
4 KOs
Strike targetStrike target
13
Head
8
5
Body
12
6
Leg
7
RangeRange
19Distance20
5Clinch7
0Ground0
Sterling
Cejudo
Grappling
Takedowns, submissions & wrestling
3.2
/ 10
1.4
/ 10
2.3
Wrestling Style (/10)
1.0
2.2
Submission Style (/10)
0.0
4
Submission wins
0
Per-fight takedown stats will populate after live card results are scraped
Sterling
Cejudo
Durability / Chin
Resilience against knockouts and stoppages
50
68
KO risk
Verdict
Moderate
2
KO/TKO Losses
1
0
Sub Losses
0
Avg R1.5 stoppage
KO round context
Avg R1.0 stoppage
4 fights ago
Last KO loss
11 fights ago
—
Strikes absorbed / min
—
23/31 fights
Chin rating based on
16/22 fights
Sterling
Cejudo
Form & Momentum
Recent fight performance — most recent weighted 30%
71
97
2-fight 🔥 win streak
Current form
4-fight 📉 slide
W · Dec · R5
W · Dec · R5
L · Dec · R3
W · Dec · R3
L · KO · R2
Last 5
L · Dec · R3
L · Dec · R3
L · Dec · R3
L · Dec · R5
W · KO · R2
Sterling
Cejudo
Finish Rate
Percentage of wins by KO/TKO or Submission
33%
40%
2
KO / TKO Wins
4
4
Submission Wins
0
12
Decision Wins
6
Style Fingerprint
Combatrics radar — 6 fighting dimensions scored 0–10
Sterling
Cejudo
Fighter 1
Fighter 2
2.7
Striking
KO power & stand-up volume
5.3
3.2
Grappling
Ground control & clinch
1.4
2.3
Wrestling
Takedown threat & defence
1.0
2.2
Submission
Submission attack frequency
0.0
4.7
Pressure
Clinch/ground work rate
4.7
6.5
Volume
Decision-pace fighting
6.0
SterlingCejudo
Strike Zones
Sterling
Attacking
24 landedAbsorbing
27 absorbedCejudo
Attacking
27 landedAbsorbing
24 absorbedTargeting Overlap
🎯Sterling targets the head (54% of attacks) — Cejudo absorbs 54% of strikes there
🎯Cejudo targets the body (44% of attacks) — Sterling absorbs 44% of strikes there
Round by Round
This fight · per-round breakdown
Sterling
RND
Cejudo
0/0R00/0
Sterling · QOF Timeline
Avg: 5.1WinLossTrend
Cejudo · QOF Timeline
Avg: 5.1WinLossTrend
Sterling · Last 5
W · Dec · R5
Youssef ZalalRating 5.5Decision
UFC Fight Night: Sterling vs. Zalal · 2026-04
W · Dec · R5
Brian OrtegaRating 5.9Decision
UFC Fight Night: Walker vs. Zhang · 2025-08
L · Dec · R3
Movsar EvloevRating 6.8Decision
UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura · 2024-12
W · Dec · R3
Calvin KattarRating 5Decision
UFC 300: Pereira vs. Hill · 2024-04
L · KO · R2
Sean O'MalleyRating 3.6KO/TKO
UFC 292: Sterling vs. O'Malley · 2023-08
Cejudo · Last 5
L · Dec · R3
Payton TalbottRating 7Decision
UFC 323: Dvalishvili vs. Yan 2 · 2025-12
L · Dec · R3
Song YadongRating 6.1Decision
UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Song · 2025-02
L · Dec · R3
Merab DvalishviliRating 6.8Decision
UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria · 2024-02
L · Dec · R5
Aljamain SterlingRating 6.5Decision
UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo · 2023-05
W · KO · R2
Dominick CruzRating 5.1KO/TKO
UFC 249: Ferguson vs. Gaethje · 2020-05

