The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas hosts one final MMA event of 2022 with UFC 282 this Saturday night. Prelims begin at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the main card at 10 p.m. ET.
Once considered the promotion’s golden division, light heavyweight acts as UFC 282’s focal point, with the vacant title topping the night. Now-former champion Jiri Prochazka suffered a bad shoulder injury, forcing him out of the equation two weeks ahead of fight night. That leaves Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev to collide for the belt.
Patrick “Paddy” Pimblett of the U.K. (pictured), arguably the biggest name on the card, is featured in the co-main event.
In this betting preview, we’ll take a look at the full five-fight main card plus one of the more notable preliminary bouts:
- Main Event: Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev
- Co-Main Event: Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon
- Alex Morono vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
- Darren Till vs. Dricus Du Plessis
- Bryce Mitchell vs. Ilia Topuria
- Prelim highlight: Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Dalcha Lungiambula
Assuming you are in a legal sports betting state, UFC 282 offers some playable wagers to add to the entertainment of watching high-stakes MMA.
Let’s see what this exciting UFC 282 card has on tap for sports bettors.
Note: Odds from FanDuel Sportsbook are current at the time of writing and subject to change.
Light Heavyweight: Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev
- Moneyline: Blachowicz (+250), Ankalaev (-340)
- Prediction: Ankalaev by points
- Best Bet: Ankalaev by points (+240)
Ankalaev made a devastating early impression on the UFC audience, smashing Paul Craig for 14 minutes and 58 seconds in his debut. Since that wild loss, the 205-pound Dagestan native has been touted as the future. He’s won nine straight.
Blachowicz has already reached the top of the mountain, reigning as the light heavyweight champion from September 2020 to October 2021. The man with the legendary “Polish power” can knock out any fighter put in front of him – it’s just a matter of landing.
The biggest threat to the Pol from Ankalaev will be that of the takedown. A well-versed competitor, Ankalaev won’t have trouble getting Blachowicz to the ground, as many before him have already done. Considering Ankalaev’s tight and patient striking game, he’ll keep Blachowicz guessing, leading to easier opportunities to control the action wherever it goes.
Fighting from a distance won’t be the worst thing for Blachowicz, especially if he gets off his body kicks as he did against Dominick Reyes. The big key will be going tit for tat with Ankalaev. Blachowicz will need to come in sharp as a tack, which will be easier said than done.
Lightweight: Pimblett vs. Gordon
- Moneyline: Pimblett (-250), Gordon (+190)
- Prediction: Pimblett by submission
- Best Bet: Pimblett by submission (+230)
“The Baddy” is set to shine on his biggest stage yet.
Pimblett has generated enormous buzz since arriving in the UFC late last year. His personality has been the biggest reason for that. That isn’t to say Pimblett’s skills in the octagon aren’t legit, but he’s making a gradual climb in competition with his fourth fight looming.
Still very much a prospect, Pimblett has shown holes in the striking department and when fighters try to grind him out. Against Jordan Leavitt, for instance, Pimblett was held and controlled against the cage early on, something Gordon will be capable of replicating.
Pimblett is at his best when able to dictate the grappling. Gordon will need to be mindful of the tricks presented in these exchanges, but for a full 15 minutes, he won’t be able to avoid another big moment for Liverpool’s finest.
Welterweight: Morono vs. Ponzinibbio
- Moneyline: Morono (+148), Ponzinibbio (-192)
- Prediction: Ponzinibbio by KO/TKO
- Best Bet: Ponzinibbio by KO/TKO (+210)
Morono has saved the day.
While he may not be Ponzinibbio’s original opponent in Robbie Lawler, “The Great White” still presents an incredibly tough and perhaps bigger challenge. Amassing a quiet four-fight win streak, Morono can gain major momentum with a pay-per-view victory against a longstanding name in the welterweight ranks.
Unlike Morono, Ponzinibbio has been ready to go and has his back against the wall heading into Saturday night. Injury woes have regressed the 36-year-old Argentinian, but he’ll be able to utilize what feels like comfortable height and reach advantages against the usually hittable Morono. “Gente Boa” isn’t literally longer than Morono, but he fights long and packs a wallop. Eager to snap his two-fight skid, expect an energized Ponzinibbio to come out guns blazing to overwhelm the Houston native.
Middleweight: Till vs. Du Plessis
- Moneyline: Till (+148), Du Plessis (-192)
- Prediction: Du Plessis by KO/TKO
- Best Bet: Du Plessis by KO/TKO (+190)
Speaking of back-against-the-wall situations, Till is in exactly that at UFC 282.
“The Gorilla” has not shown off any new and improved grappling chops since sprouting a friendship with top welterweight contender Khamzat Chimaev. Perpetually a dangerous and accurate striker, Till will find himself forced to wrestle at times as the aggressive Du Plessis pushes forward.
Till has only been knocked out once in his career, which came at the hands of Jorge Masvidal in 2019. Weathering Du Plessis’ consistent storms will be the key to his fortune, and leaning on a wrestling-heavy attack will be in his best interest. The South African slowed significantly his last time out with Brad Tavares but managed to ride out the action, with Tavares also fading down the stretch.
It may not be the end of Till as a fixture in the 185-pound ranks, but he’ll be passed up for the time being until he starts getting more favorable matchups.
Featherweight: Mitchell vs. Topuria
- Moneyline: Mitchell (+120), Topuria (-154)
- Prediction: Mitchell by submission
- Best Bet: Mitchell by submission (+500)
The moneyline on this fight is a shocker. In terms of the level of competition, Mitchell supersedes Topuria on almost his Edson Barboza win alone. The pairing is essentially a classic striker versus grappler showdown.
Topuria’s biggest win to date came over feared submission artist Ryan Hall. A strong ground specialist himself, Mitchell will aim to do what Hall did, just without Hall’s unique leg pursuit approach that he’s well known for.
For 15 minutes or less, Topuria will need to keep Mitchell off of him to land his knockout shot. Unfortunately, that will be much easier said than done, as Mitchell will constantly be looking to smother his way to a submission.
Middleweight: Shahbazyan vs. Lungiambula
- Moneyline: Shahbazyan (-320), Lungiambula (+235)
- Prediction: Shahbazyan by KO/TKO
- Best Bet: Shahbazyan by KO/TKO (+110)
Shahbazyan and Lungiambula both desperately need victories, each looking to snap three-fight skids.
Finally away from a questionable camp choice, Shahbazyan is ready to get back on track after a hot start to his UFC career. The 25-year-old showed flashes of brilliance before being stifled by his previous three opponents. A diverse striker, he’ll look to continue the job Puna Soriano started by finishing Lungiambula with strikes in July.
This is Lungiambula’s last-ditch effort at 185 pounds, and he’ll come out seeking a strong performance. Shahbazyan’s takedown defense has been the bane of his existence, but he won’t have to worry about this step down from his previous opponents.