UFC 282 Blachowicz vs Ankalaev - Las Vegas (12/10/2022)

We were all holding out hope they’d announce Jones-Miocic for UFC 280, but no luck there. Still, the lineup looks solid, headlined by a massive rematch that's been brewing all year.

Main card:

Blachowicz - Ankalaev (for the vacant light heavyweight title)

Pimblett - Gordon

Ponzinibbio - Lawler

Mitchell - Topuria

Shahbazyan - Lungiambula

Preliminary card:

Till - du Plessis

Rozenstruik - Daukaus

Curtis - Buckley

Cancelled:

Prochazka - Teixeira due to Jiri's shoulder injury

Gustafsson - OSP due to Gustafsson withdrawing

rest of card and more info:

https://www.tapology.com/fightcenter.../92214-ufc-282

https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-282

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_282

https://www.sherdog.com/events/UFC-2...ixeira-2-94042

I'll update this opening post if anything changes.

I need to set up a little side bet here—is Darren Till actually going to show up this time, or is he just going to end up sidelined with another injury right before the bell rings?

Here's another solid matchup for you

https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/...oked-las-vegas

He clearly read my comment 😁

Here’s the full lineup.
https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/11/...onship-rematch
On paper, the Main card looks pretty solid. You've got three fights that actually matter and two more that should be a blast to watch.

It’s kind of wild that Buckley and Curtis are stuck on the Preliminary card when they honestly look way more exciting than half the fights higher up the list.

Yeah, aside from the light heavyweights headlining the main and co-main events, we’ve got Mitchell and Topuria, plus Lawler on the main card. Then you have Till - du Plessis Rozenstruik - Daukaus and Buckley - Curtis on the preliminary card. Definitely some solid picks for the betting slips. 🙂

The PPV where Paddy is the biggest draw. 😁

Maybe it’s lacking some major star power, but for die-hard fans, it’s a solid enough PPV. I’m mostly looking forward to that hillbilly kid and the main event. I’m expecting fireworks there. 🙏

I’m actually pretty stoked about this card; there are some seriously intriguing matchups lined up.

Sent from my Galaxy S22 Ultra via Tapatalk

They’re trying to throw in a few more exciting fights earlier on the card, probably just to get people through the doors at the arena sooner.

The card looks solid, though I have to say, seeing Lawler on there caught me off guard; I honestly thought he was finished with the UFC for good.
You’ve even got Shahbazyan on the early prelims. I still remember all that hype surrounding him before Brunson absolutely dismantled him. Honestly, Lungiambula might actually be a much better stylistic matchup for him than some top-tier wrestler would be.

I’m actually pretty happy with this card..

Well, there goes everything. Jiri is out for a year or even longer—he’s basically stepping aside from the title hunt due to an eye injury. 😢

To be honest, he was pretty much the only reason I even cared about this division. It’s a massive blow. I really hope his recovery goes smoothly.

Man, seriously, you just totally ruined my night with this news. 🤣

https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/11/...new-main-event

According to this, it’s all because of a shoulder injury. Now we’re looking at Jan and Ankalaev fighting for the belt since White says Glover wasn't even feeling that matchup.

Man, oh man. There is just no way Jiri pulls this off.

What a mess this country is, what a disgrace 😢

I have to admit, I’m feeling pretty let down by this; I was really looking forward to seeing this fight go down. Injuries are just part of the game, I get that, but it’s always a bummer when the champ gets sidelined for such a long stretch. It’s a real shame, truly.

It’s honestly such a massive bummer because Jiri vs. Glover would have been an absolute banger. I have to tip my hat to Jiri, though; giving up the belt instead of just sitting on it while dealing with his injury was a class act—definitely reminds me of how Ngannou handled things. Now, we’re stuck with Ankalaev vs. Jan without any real way to avoid it. I totally get where Glover is coming from, too; he wasn't about to just settle for some random replacement.

It’s not the eye, it’s actually his shoulder. He says he'll be back in about 6 months.

https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/...njury-shoulder

What a damn shame. 😢
I doubt they could have topped that first fight, but still, what a letdown. I was one of those rare people who actually bet on Glover during the first bout, and honestly, I still think he threw away his win by being reckless—but now? Now I think Jiri would just steamroll him.

Mad respect to Jiri for grabbing that belt and wishing him a speedy recovery!

Man, this is a nightmare scenario for Glover. Jan / Ankalaev is basically the new champ, looking at his first title defense against Jiri in 7 or 8 months, while the old man is stuck on the sidelines for a year. I’m not even kidding, if they put Rakić on the same card where Jiri fights for the vacant belt, he might just retire him with a single high kick.

Glover mentioned he was asked about a title shot against Ankalaev. His take? He’d take Jan (whom he’s already beaten), but if it’s Ankalaev, he needs more time to prep properly. He brought up that potential fight in the States, but the UFC shut it down. He’s even complaining that he and Jan wouldn't draw as much as Ankalaev and himself anyway. I mean, he’s got a point there, but damn...

Anyway, we’re finally going to see what Ankalaev is actually made of. He looks incredible, but Jan is his first real litmus test. I have a feeling Ankalaev grabs the belt, which sets up Jiri vs Ankalaev. Honestly, that’s the fight everyone in the division is waiting for. I feel for Glover; he can sit on the sidelines and wait, but that could easily drag on for over a year. Not that I'd mind seeing Rakić tear him apart, though.☕

I’m digging through this article too. It’s pretty clear he’s playing a different game than what we all predicted, acting like he’s the next logical choice for a title shot. Good luck to him, honestly, but if Jiri recovers on schedule, there’s no way anyone cuts the line ahead of him—especially after making such a gentlemanly move.

I actually get where Glover is coming from here. If he hadn't choked up against Ankalaev, he wouldn't even be sitting in second place right now; they'd probably be pushing him toward retirement.

My mention of Rakić was a bit of a reach, but it’s not entirely off base. That’s basically the only legitimate top five in the division, and Rakić is going to need a massive opponent for his comeback fight if he wants to stay in the title conversation instead of just taking some random tune-up.

So, here’s my projection for next year: a new champ facing Jiri by mid-summer, with Glover - Rakić on the same card, and one of those two grabbing a title shot in the fall or winter.

Or maybe we’re all just lost in the woods. 🤣

They can take their little tactical games and shove them. Now Glover is going to be sitting on his hands for a year or more, and let's be honest, he's already staring down retirement anyway. He should have just taken the shot against Ankalaev; personally, I think he could have pulled it off. This way, he's basically done.