UFC 282 Main Card Predictions, Odds and Results: Blachowicz vs Ankalaev
UFC 282 Main Card Pintsized Background
The PPV tag of UFC 282 feels different depending on which side of the Atlantic Ocean you reside on. American fans have a right to feel mugged off, after losing the glittering headliner between Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira. Meanwhile, UK fans will receive yet another PPV free of charge, featuring local stars such as Darren Till and Paddy Pimblett.
The UFC 282 Main Card has taken a serious knock after losing Prochazka’s first title defence, but bumping Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev up to the main event is a somewhat suitable replacement. UFC 282’s co-main, Paddy Pimblett and Jared Gordon, represent one of the worst PPV co-main match-ups based on records – that doesn’t mean it won’t be fun, though!
Where/When is UFC 282 Main Card taking place:
December 10, 2022. T-Mobile Arena. Nevada, United States.
What time does UFC 282 Main Card start:
🇬🇧 UK: 3am / 🇺🇸 US ET: 10pm
What channel is UFC 282 Main Card on:
🇬🇧 UK: BT Sports / 🇺🇸 US: ESPN+
Pintsized MMA content from the week before:
🚀 Preview: UFC Orlando Predictions, Odds and Results: Thompson vs Holland
💰 PI’s Recommended Fight: Stephen Thompson vs Kevin Holland
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UFC 282 Main Card Picks & Odds
| UFC 282 Main Card Odds | UFC 282 Main Card Predictions |
|---|---|
| Jan Blachowicz vs Magomed Ankalaev Odds: (+240) / (-285) | Jan Blachowicz vs Magomed Ankalaev Prediction: Ankalaev Decision |
| Paddy Pimblett vs Jared Gordon Odds: (-250) / (+210) | Paddy Pimblett vs Jared Gordon Prediction: Pimblett Submission Round 2 |
| Santiago Ponzinibbio vs Alex Morono Odds: (-180) / (+155) | Santiago Ponzinibbio vs Alex Morono Prediction: Ponzinibbio TKO Round 3 |
| Darren Till vs Dricus Du Plessis Odds: (+150) / (-175) | Darren Till vs Dricus Du Plessis Prediction: Till TKO Round 1 |
| Bryce Mitchell vs Ilia Topuria Odds: (+120) / (-140) | Bryce Mitchell vs Ilia Topuria Prediction: Topuria Decision |
UFC 282: Main Event
Jan Blachowicz vs Magomed Ankalaev
Light Heavyweight (205)
UFC Vacant Light Heavyweight Championship
Jan Blachowicz (29-9)
After disastrously losing the Light Heavyweight belt to a 42-year-old, Jan Blachowicz has a second chance to bring the title back to Poland. Deep into the twilight of his career, Blachowicz has transformed himself into a heavy-handed bruiser that is a nuisance to take down. Well, that was until Teixeira eventually broke the Pole’s confidence in remaining standing.
A hard-fought win over Aleksandr Rakic may have ended in a leg injury for the youthful foe, but Blachowicz looked far more comfortable in all areas of the fight. Rakic was able to control Blachowicz for the majority of Round 2, but the 39-year-olds hands looked crispy clean again. Ankalaev hasn’t dug deep into his wrestling over his UFC career, but questions are likely to be asked of Jan at some point.
Magomed Ankalaev (18-1)
Mirroring Blachowicz’s recent victory via leg injury, Ankalaev dismantled the usually durable Anthony Smith. On the feet, both Jan and Ankalaev will want to settle into their jab to control distance. Both fighters enjoy a comfortable pace so don’t be surprised if the two locks into bit-piece range striking while waiting for counters – especially as neither fighter sets up traps for effective counterstriking.
The Paul Craig buzzer-beater loss will remain a blemish on the Dagestani’s record, but a nine-fight streak proves that it was a momentary blip rather than a hole in his skillset. Ankalaev isn’t a relentless wrestler – for example, he opted to test himself on the feet against Thiago Santos and only attempted two takedowns. Ankalaev’s chin so far seems strong enough to handle the firepower of Blachowicz’s blitzes. Can Ankalaev maintain a high enough volume to win over the scorers?
Blachowicz vs Ankalaev Prediction: Ankalaev Decision
On the feet, both Jan and Ankalaev will want to settle into their jab to control distance. Both fighters enjoy a comfortable pace so don’t be surprised if the two lock into bit-piece range striking while waiting for counters – especially as neither fighter sets up regular traps for effective counterstriking.
Ankalaev’s chin so far seems strong enough to handle the firepower of Blachowicz’s blitzes. Can Ankalaev maintain a high enough volume to win over the scorers? Of course, Ankalaev has a wrestling base to tap into, but he has seemed averse to taking fights to the ground recently. For example, it took Anakalev until Round Four to consider wrestling Thiago Santos. The extra tools leave me leaning towards another Dagestani (vacant) champion.
UFC 282: Co-Main Event
Paddy Pimblett vs Jared Gordon
Lightweight (155)
Paddy Pimblett (19-3)
MMA fandoms are fickle folk. Paddy the Baddy has turned into a heel overnight after firing shots at Ariel Helwani, but a highlight reel win over the weekend will flip the narrative just as quickly. Make no mistake, Pimblett has a lot of maturing to endure if he wants to climb towards the top of the division. As of now, Pimblett’s rapid recovery, fearless aggression on the feet and slick submission arsenal will keep putting bums on seats.
Jared Gordon (19-5)
The 34-year-old has an unreal backstory, one that is deserving of greater attention from the UFC marketing machine. Jared Gordon is by no means an entertaining fighter, but he is well-rounded and represents a stark step up in competition for the mouthy Scouser. It was only four months ago that Gordon out-struck Leonardo Santos around 3-1 on the feet (Significant Strikes: Gordon 116 – 36 Santos). Gordon can hold his own on the mat, but he can be physically overwhelmed (Grant Dawson nailed 7 takedowns) and tends to offer his back (Pimblett enters on a two-fight streak of rear naked chokes).
Pimblett vs Gordon Prediction: Pimblett Submission Round 2
Pimblett has a lot of maturing to endure if he wants to climb towards the top of the division. As of now, Pimblett’s rapid recovery, fearless aggression on the feet and slick submission arsenal will keep putting bums on seats. That isn’t to write off Jared Gordon, the 34-year-old is a well-rounded fighter and represents a stark step up in competition. It was only four months ago that Gordon out-struck Leonardo Santos around 3-1 on the feet. Unfortunately, Gordon tends to offer his back, an area that Pimblett excels at punishing – entering UFC 282 on a two-fight streak of rear naked chokes.
UFC 282: Main Card
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs Alex Morono
Catchweight (180)
Santiago Ponzinibbio (28-6)
Once highly rated as Welterweight’s next big thing, Ponzinibbio is sitting on a 1-3 record since his return in 2021. Granted, the Argentine’s last two fights have been split decision losses, but they have been worrying performances. Ponzinibbio is noticeably slower on the feet, more timid in his approach and takes punishment with far less certainty. The 36-year-old remains a heavy-handed threat with chopping low kicks that will just about be the athletic superior to his opponent on Saturday.
Alex Morono (22-7)
Alex Morono is at his very best off the back of a training camp as one of the most consummate game planners in the organisation. Taking the fight at short notice is a major red flag, even with Ponzinibbio on a career downslide. The Great White has set hard paces and comfortably out-struck the likes of Mickey Gall and Matthew Semelsberger, but Ponzinibbio carries much greater threat.
Ponzinibbio vs Morono Prediction: Ponzinibbio TKO Round 3
Alex Morono is at his very best off the back of a training camp as one of the most consummate game planners in the organisation. Taking the fight at short notice is a major red flag, even with Ponzinibbio on a career downslide. The Argentinian is noticeably slower on the feet, more timid in his approach and takes punishment with far less certainty. Morono sets a high pace on the front foot, however, and will likely eat a ton of punishment in the process.
Darren Till vs Dricus Du Plessis
Middleweight (185)
Darren Till (18-4-1)
Watching the interviews and social media posts would lead you to believe that Darren Till is finally back in physical and mental shape. Till is a great talker, however. We won’t truly know what state Till is in until he enters the octagon, but the signs are positive. The Liverpudlian, at his best, is capable of measuring distance immediately and consistently threatening with his liquid left hand. Du Plessis is a ferociously aggressive brawler, but this should be a stylistic dream for Till who can slide laterally and counter Du Plessis as he falls into his blitzes.
Dricus Du Plessis (17-2)
Du Plessis’ base, surprisingly, is his strong grappling and submissions. The South African hasn’t been able to impose his strength on the mat in the UFC, however, he has gotten by on the back of his wildly aggressive striking. There is no doubting the power in Du Plessis’ hands as well as a surprising gas tank that was missing earlier in his career. Du Plessis could break down Till through vastly superior output, but The Gorilla is technically cleaner and capable of exposing Du Plessis’ flaws.
Till vs Du Plessis Prediction: Till TKO Round 1
A very, very spicy pick that shouldn’t be supported. Perhaps it’s Till’s ability to talk large in interviews, but there is a decent reason to believe that the Scouser is returning with the right mental state after a camp in Thailand. Du Plessis is a ferociously aggressive brawler, but this should be a stylistic dream for Till who has the technical wealth to counter Du Plessis as he falls into his blitzes. Of course, Till is also a comedically low-output fighter with a lack of stoppages in his record. The flaws in Du Plessis’ striking are too glaring to overlook, even if deep down I truly believe that his heavy hands will be enough to break Till down over three rounds.
Bryce Mitchell vs Ilia Topuria
Featherweight (145)
Bryce Mitchell (15-0)
A shoo-in for FOTN, the winner of Mitchell vs Topuria has a decent argument to push for a title shot. Thug Nasty surprised many when he opted to trade with Edson Barboza for extended stretches of their fight. Of course, Mitchell still weaved in under 12 minutes of control time, but he was deadly accurate with his striking too. Considering just how hittable Topuria is, Mitchell’s volume should regularly hit the mark against his aggressive foe.
Ilia Topuria (12-0)
The Georgian is a frightening bulldozer of a man considering his small stature. Topuria is supremely confident, walking down his opponents and unleashing hellacious body shots. El Matador’s confidence was best exhibited in his willingness to meet Ryan Hall on the ground and beat the BJJ wizard into an early night. Topuria answered many questions in his recent victory over Jai Herbert, recovering after a huge knockdown to nuke the Brummy in the second round. Expecting Mitchell to start effectively, only for Topuria’s pressure to make the difference down the stretch.
Mitchell vs Topuria Prediction: Topuria Decision
Thug Nasty surprised many when he opted to trade with Edson Barboza for extended stretches of their fight. Of course, Mitchell still weaved in under 12 minutes of control time, but he was deadly accurate with his striking too. Considering just how hittable Topuria is, Mitchell’s volume should regularly hit the mark against his aggressive foe. Yet, Topuria answered questions over his durability with a brutal second-round knockout of Jai Herbert following a huge scare early in their fight. Expecting Mitchell to start effectively, only for Topuria’s pressure to make the difference down the stretch.
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