Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is planning to book reigning bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling opposite former 135-pound titleholder Henry Cejudo for the upcoming UFC 287 pay-per-view (PPV) event, recently made official for Sat., April 8, 2023 at a city and venue to be determined.
That’s according to MMA Fighting.
Sterling (22-3) is currently healing from an injured biceps and was unable to commit to his previously planned return in March. It’s important to note that contracts have not been signed and the championship bout remains in the planning stages, likely dependent on “Funk Master’s” fluid recovery timeline.
Manager Ali Abdelaziz called it “fake news,” for whatever that’s worth.
Cejudo (16-2) has not competed since planishing Dominick Cruz as part of the UFC 249 PPV back in early 2020. “Triple C” — who also held gold at 125 pounds — briefly flirted with retirement before announcing his not-so-surprising return early last year. The winner could move on to face top contender Sean O’Malley in late 2023.
Expect more information on this still-developing story in the coming days.