Henry Cejudo has opened as a small betting underdog for his expected return to action opposite reigning UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling later this year.
Per BetOnline, Cejudo has opened as a +100 underdog for his clash with “Funk Master.” That means a $100 bet on Cejudo to defeat Sterling will net you $100 in winnings. Not too shabby when you consider that Cejudo hasn’t lost since dropping a split decision to Joseph Benavidez all the way back in 2016.
Henry Cejudo opens as an underdog against UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling
(odds via @betonline_ag) #UFC287 pic.twitter.com/IiYQ9nsBw3
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) January 26, 2023
Sterling, on the other hand, opens as a -120 betting favorite. That means you will need to bet $120 on “Funk Master” to collect $100 in winnings. It seems a little risky since Cejudo ‘s strengths are also Sterling’s strengths, but the reigning UFC bantamweight champion has won his last eight trips to the Octagon dating back to 2018 and has shown no signs of slowing down.
While Cejudo was one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport at the time of his unexpected retirement from mixed martial arts (MMA) back in May 2020 the fact remains that “Messenger” has not competed in nearly three years. That should create some sort of ring rust for Cejudo when he meets Sterling later this year, which likely swayed the oddsmakers when creating these opening lines.
Sterling vs. Cejudo has not been officially announced by the promotion, but it is expected to take place at UFC 287 on April 8 at a city and venue to be determined.