UFC 282
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| UFC 282: Błachowicz vs. Ankalaev | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 The poster for UFC 282: Błachowicz vs. Ankalaev | ||||
| Promotion | Ultimate Fighting Championship | |||
| Date | December 10, 2022 | |||
| Venue | T-Mobile Arena | |||
| City | Paradise, Nevada, United States | |||
| Attendance | 18,455[1] | |||
| Total gate | $4,409,511[1] | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
UFC 282: Błachowicz vs. Ankalaev was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It took place on December 10, 2022, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[2]
Background
[edit]A UFC Light Heavyweight Championship rematch between then current champion Jiří Procházka (also former Rizin Light Heavyweight Champion) and former champion Glover Teixeira was originally expected to headline the event.[3] The pair previously met at UFC 275 in June, with Procházka winning the back and forth fight (and championship) by submission in the fifth round.[4] However, on November 23, Procházka pulled out due to a shoulder injury that would require surgery and at least six months of rehabilitation. He decided to vacate the title, and Teixeira subsequently refused a replacement fight against Magomed Ankalaev. Therefore, the co-main event bout between former champion Jan Błachowicz (also former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion) and Ankalaev was promoted to the main event status and arranged for the vacant championship.[5][6][7]
A heavyweight bout between Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Chris Daukaus was originally scheduled for UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Yan, but it was moved to this event for undisclosed reasons.[8]
Promotional newcomer Bo Nickal was expected to face Jamie Pickett in a middleweight bout.[9] However, it was announced in late October that Nickal withdrew due to injury and the bout was scrapped.[10]
A light heavyweight bout between former title challenger Alexander Gustafsson and former interim title contender Ovince Saint Preux was expected to take place at the event.[11] However, Gustafsson withdrew due to an undisclosed reason and was replaced by 2018 PFL heavyweight tournament winner Philipe Lins.[12] In turn, Lins withdrew from the bout due to an undisclosed reason and was replaced by Antonio Trocoli.[13] However, Trocoli withdrew due to visa issues.[14] As a result, Saint Preux was pulled from the card as well due to the promotion being unable to find another replacement.[15]
A bantamweight bout between Cameron Saaiman and Ronnie Lawrence was expected to take place at the event.[16] However, Lawrence withdrew for unknown reasons the week before the event and was replaced by promotional newcomer Steven Koslow.[17]
A welterweight bout between former UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler and Santiago Ponzinibbio was expected to take place at the event.[18] The pairing was previously scheduled to meet at UFC 245 in 2019 but Ponzinibbio withdrew due to a staph infection.[19] However, the week of the event, the bout fell through again as Lawler was forced to withdraw due to an undisclosed injury.[20] He was replaced by Alex Morono at a catchweight of 180 pounds.[21]
A flyweight bout between Daniel da Silva and Vinicius Salvador was expected to take place at the event.[22] However, after the official weigh-ins, in which da Silva weighed in at 129 pounds, three pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit, it was announced he had been pulled from the card due to an undisclosed medical issue and the bout was scrapped.[23]
Results
[edit]| Main card | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Light Heavyweight | Jan Błachowicz | vs. | Magomed Ankalaev | Draw (split) (48–47, 46–48, 47–47) | 5 | 5:00 | [a] |
| Lightweight | Paddy Pimblett | def. | Jared Gordon | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Catchweight (180 lb) | Santiago Ponzinibbio | def. | Alex Morono | KO (punches) | 3 | 2:29 | |
| Middleweight | Dricus du Plessis | def. | Darren Till | Submission (face crank) | 3 | 2:43 | |
| Featherweight | Ilia Topuria | def. | Bryce Mitchell | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | 2 | 3:10 | |
| Preliminary card (ESPN2 / ESPN+) | |||||||
| Bantamweight | Raul Rosas Jr. | def. | Jay Perrin | Submission (face crank) | 1 | 2:44 | [b] |
| Heavyweight | Jairzinho Rozenstruik | def. | Chris Daukaus | KO (punch) | 1 | 0:23 | |
| Middleweight | Edmen Shahbazyan | def. | Dalcha Lungiambula | TKO (punches) | 2 | 4:41 | |
| Middleweight | Chris Curtis | def. | Joaquin Buckley | KO (punches) | 2 | 2:49 | |
| Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass) | |||||||
| Featherweight | Billy Quarantillo | def. | Alexander Hernandez | TKO (knees and punches) | 2 | 4:30 | |
| Featherweight | T.J. Brown | def. | Erik Silva | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | 3 | 3:41 | |
| Bantamweight | Cameron Saaiman | def. | Steven Koslow | TKO (knees and punches) | 3 | 4:13 | [c] |
- ^ For the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship.
- ^ Rosas Jr. sets the record as the youngest UFC fighter to win a fight.[24]
- ^ Saaiman was deducted 1 point in round 2 due to an illegal knee.
Bonus awards
[edit]The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[26]
- Fight of the Night: Dricus du Plessis vs. Darren Till
- Performance of the Night: Santiago Ponzinibbio, Ilia Topuria, Raúl Rosas Jr., Jairzinho Rozenstruik, Edmen Shahbazyan, Chris Curtis, Billy Quarantillo, T.J. Brown, and Cameron Saaiman
With eleven post-fight bonuses, this was the record for most bonuses given in a single UFC event.[27]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Mike Bohn (2022-12-11). "UFC 282 post-event facts: 18-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. etches name in record books with debut win". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-12-11.
- ^ Nolan King (2022-09-20). "NAC approves seven UFC event licenses for remainder of 2022, including six UFC Apex shows". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-09-20.
- ^ Simon Samano (2022-10-13). "Jiri Prochazka vs. Glover Teixeira 2 booked for UFC 282 in December". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
- ^ Jay Anderson (2022-06-12). "UFC 275: Jiri Prochazka secures late submission, dethrones Glover Teixeira". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ Kevin Iole (2022-11-23). "UFC 282: Jiri Prochazka injured, vacates light heavyweight championship; Blachowicz-Ankalaev title bout booked". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
- ^ Nolan King (2022-11-23). "Jiri Prochazka apologizes for UFC 282 withdrawal, explains vacating light heavyweight title". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-11-23.
- ^ Farah Hannoun (2022-11-24). "Glover Teixeira on turning down makeshift UFC 282 title shot: I won't 'just show up to fight a guy because they say so'". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ Nolan King (2022-09-18). "UFC 282 lands Chris Daukaus vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik after bout pushed back". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-09-18.
- ^ Nolan King and Mike Bohn (2022-09-29). "Bo Nickal set to debut at UFC 282 vs. Jamie Pickett". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
- ^ Nolan King (2022-10-21). "Bo Nickal off UFC 282 vs. Jamie Pickett; promotion targeting new debut plans". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
- ^ Alexander K. Lee (2022-10-11). "Alexander Gustafsson to fight Ovince Saint Preux at UFC 282". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2022-10-11.
- ^ Nolan King (2022-11-15). "Ovince Saint Preux says Alexander Gustafsson out of UFC 282, Philipe Lins to replace". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ Steve Duncan (2022-11-24). "Lins out, Antonio Trocoli faces Ovince St. Preux at UFC 282". mma.uno. Retrieved 2022-11-24. (in Spanish)
- ^ Staff (2022-12-05). "Ovince Saint Preux loses third UFC 282 opponent after Antonio Trocoli withdraws". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
- ^ Staff (2022-12-06). "Ovince St. Preux Removed from UFC 282 After Losing Third Potential Opponent". sherdog.com. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
- ^ Mike Heck (2022-10-03). "Ronnie Lawrence vs. Cameron Saaiman set for UFC 282". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
- ^ Nolan King (2022-11-30). "Cameron Saaiman gets 'Obi Won Shinobi The Pillow' Steven Koslow as UFC 282 replacement opponent". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-11-30.
- ^ Mike Heck (2022-08-16). "Robbie Lawler set to face Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC 282". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
- ^ Nick Baldwin (2019-10-12). "Santiago Ponzinibbio out of UFC 245 fight vs. Robbie Lawler". bloodyelbow.com. Archived from the original on 2019-12-09. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
- ^ Alexander K. Lee (2022-12-05). "Injured Robbie Lawler out of UFC 282 fight with Santiago Ponzinibbio". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2022-12-05.
- ^ Danny Segura and Mike Bohn (2022-12-05). "Santiago Ponzinibbio gets Alex Morono as replacement opponent for UFC 282". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
- ^ Mike Heck (2022-11-20). "UFC reveals full UFC 282 lineup, including Jiri Prochazka vs. Glover Teixeira championship rematch". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ Jay Anderson (2022-12-09). "UFC 282 loses Daniel da Silva vs. Vinicius Salvador due to medical issue". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2022-12-09.
- ^ "Raul Rosas Jr Submits Opponent at UFC 282 to Become Youngest Ever Winner". 12 December 2022.
- ^ "UFC 282: Błachowicz vs. Ankalaev". Ultimate Fighting Championship. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 2022-10-14.
- ^ Dan Hiergesell (2022-12-11). "UFC 282 bonuses: All fighters with finishes collect $50K". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2022-12-11.
- ^ Mike Bohn (2022-12-24). "UFC in 2022: A ridiculously robust look at the stats, streaks, skids and record-setters". MMA Junkie. Retrieved 2022-12-26.
UFC 282
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Background
Light Heavyweight Title Situation
Jan Błachowicz captured the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship by defeating Dominick Reyes via third-round TKO (punches) at UFC 253 on September 26, 2020.[10] He made his first successful title defense against then-UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya at UFC 259 on March 6, 2021, securing a unanimous decision victory after five rounds. Błachowicz's reign lasted until October 30, 2021, when he lost the belt to Glover Teixeira via second-round submission (rear-naked choke) in the main event of UFC 267.[11] Teixeira, at age 42, became the second-oldest fighter to win UFC gold and held the title for approximately eight months.[12] He made his first and only defense against Jiri Procházka at UFC 275 on June 12, 2022, but was submitted via rear-naked choke in the final seconds of the fifth round, surrendering the championship.[13] Procházka, in his fourth UFC bout, claimed the title in dramatic fashion, though he sustained a significant right shoulder injury—a torn labrum—during the fight that would later impact his reign.[14] A rematch between Procházka and Teixeira was verbally agreed upon for UFC 282 in August 2022.[15] However, Procházka's shoulder injury worsened, requiring surgery and an extended recovery period, leading him to withdraw from the event. On November 23, 2022, the UFC officially announced the vacancy of the light heavyweight title due to Procházka's inability to defend it, elevating the UFC 282 main event to a bout for the vacant championship between Błachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev.[16] Entering the fight, Błachowicz held a strong recent UFC record of 10-2, including a highlight-reel knockout of Aleksandar Rakić in May 2022 that solidified his status as a top contender and former champion seeking reclamation.[17] Ankalaev, meanwhile, remained undefeated at 17-0 overall with an unblemished 8-0 mark in the UFC, marked by dominant performances such as his submission win over Ion Cutelaba and decision victories over ranked opponents, positioning him as a highly touted, unbeaten prospect.[18]Fight Card Development and Changes
The fight card for UFC 282 began taking shape in September 2022, with the first bouts announced for the December 10 pay-per-view event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. On September 6, the UFC revealed a middleweight matchup between Darren Till and Dricus du Plessis, marking one of the early additions to the lineup.[19] Additional preliminary card fights, such as those involving Edmen Shahbazyan and Dalcha Lungiambula, as well as Chris Curtis and Joaquin Buckley, were reported around the same time as part of ongoing bookings.[20] By early October 2022, the card gained momentum with high-profile announcements. On October 11, a light heavyweight contest between former champion Jan Błachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev was booked for the event.[21] Three days later, on October 14, the UFC confirmed the main event as a light heavyweight title rematch between champion Jiří Procházka and Glover Teixeira, following their closely contested fight at UFC 275.[22] Later that month, on October 24, featherweight prospects Bryce Mitchell and Ilia Topuria verbally agreed to a main card bout, while lightweight matchup Paddy Pimblett versus Jared Gordon was also added to the pay-per-view portion.[23] The full 13-fight card, including these elements, was officially confirmed on October 23.[24] Significant alterations occurred in November 2022. On November 23, Procházka withdrew from the main event due to a serious shoulder injury requiring surgery and up to a year of recovery, prompting him to vacate the light heavyweight title out of respect for the division.[25] This elevated the previously announced Błachowicz versus Ankalaev bout to headline status as a fight for the vacant championship, while Pimblett versus Gordon was promoted to co-main event.[26] The updated main card lineup was released the same day.[27] Further modifications affected the undercard in the weeks leading up to the event. On October 21, middleweight prospect Bo Nickal's UFC debut against Jamie Pickett was scrapped after Nickal pulled out for undisclosed reasons.[28] On December 5, Robbie Lawler withdrew from his welterweight bout against Santiago Ponzinibbio due to injury, but Alex Morono stepped in as replacement opponent, allowing the matchup to proceed. By December 9, one preliminary bout was canceled: Daniel da Silva versus Vinicius Salvador after da Silva was removed for a medical issue.[29][30] These changes resulted in a final card of 12 fights, with Till versus du Plessis retaining its status as a pivotal middleweight clash positioned on the main card.[31]Event Details
Date, Venue, and Attendance
UFC 282 occurred on December 10, 2022.[1] The event took place at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, within the Las Vegas metropolitan area.[1] Opened in April 2016 adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip, the arena has a seating capacity of 20,000 for UFC events and serves as a primary venue for the promotion's pay-per-view cards, having hosted dozens of UFC shows since its debut with UFC 200.[32][33] UFC 282 represented the 282nd numbered event in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's history. The pay-per-view drew an announced attendance of 18,455, approaching a sellout and generating a live gate revenue of $4,409,511, underscoring its status as a significant UFC event.[34]Broadcasting and Promotion
The main card of UFC 282 was broadcast on ESPN+ pay-per-view in the United States, starting at 10 p.m. ET on December 10, 2022, while the preliminary card aired on ESPN2 and ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, and early prelims were available on ESPNEWS and ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. ET.[35] Internationally, the event was streamed via UFC Fight Pass, providing access to all fights for subscribers outside the U.S.[36] The English-language commentary team for the pay-per-view broadcast featured play-by-play announcer Jon Anik alongside color commentators Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier, marking Rogan's final UFC call of 2022.[37] Promotional activities for UFC 282 included the standard UFC Embedded video series, which chronicled fighters' preparations across six episodes released leading up to the event, highlighting training sessions, travel, and final weight cuts.[38] A pre-fight press conference took place on December 8, 2022, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, featuring main card fighters including Jan Błachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev, with media interactions extending through December 7-9.[39] The official weigh-ins occurred on December 9 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, drawing attention for intense staredowns, particularly between Błachowicz and Ankalaev, as well as Paddy Pimblett and Jared Gordon.[40] Marketing for the event centered on the vacant light heavyweight championship bout between Błachowicz and Ankalaev, positioning it as a pivotal opportunity to crown a new titleholder following Glover Teixeira's vacated belt.[41] Additional hype focused on debuting prospect Raul Rosas Jr., promoted as the youngest fighter in UFC history at 18 years old, emphasizing his potential as a future star in the bantamweight division. The co-main event between Pimblett and Gordon was framed as a transatlantic clash, pitting the rising British lightweight against his American counterpart to appeal to international audiences.[42]Results
Main Card
The main event for the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship pitted former champion Jan Błachowicz against undefeated contender Magomed Ankalaev. The five-round bout ended in a split draw, with judges Mike Bell scoring it 48-47 for Błachowicz, Derek Cleary scoring 48-46 for Ankalaev, and Sal D'Amato scoring it 47-47.[43][44] In Round 1, Błachowicz established control with sharp striking, including a powerful knee to the body and counters that rocked Ankalaev, securing the round on most media scorecards. Ankalaev adjusted in Round 2, pressing forward with combinations and a late takedown attempt, though Błachowicz's defense kept it competitive. Round 3 saw Błachowicz regain momentum through volume punching and low kicks, landing cleaner shots while Ankalaev struggled to close distance. However, Ankalaev dominated Round 4 with superior grappling, securing a takedown, taking Błachowicz's back, and opening a severe cut above the Pole's left eye with elbows from top position. The injury raised questions about potential stoppage, but referee Marc Goddard allowed the fight to continue after examination. In Round 5, Ankalaev maintained control on the ground for much of the frame, threatening submissions and ground-and-pound while Błachowicz defended from his back, though the former champion rallied late with strikes after scrambling up. The draw sparked widespread controversy, as a majority of media outlets scored the fight for Ankalaev (48-47 or wider), and debates ensued over the judging divergence and whether the cut warranted a doctor's stoppage earlier.[45][46][7] In the co-main event, Paddy Pimblett defeated Jared Gordon by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28). The lightweight clash featured intense striking exchanges, with Gordon landing harder power shots early while Pimblett countered with speed and volume, including a notable guillotine attempt in Round 1 and rear-naked choke threats from the bottom in Round 3. Both fighters absorbed significant damage in a back-and-forth war, but the judges favored Pimblett's aggression and control time.[7] Santiago Ponzinibbio defeated Alex Morono by knockout (punch) at 2:29 of Round 3 in their catchweight (178 lbs) bout. Ponzinibbio weathered early pressure before landing a decisive left hook that dropped Morono, leading to the stoppage.[7] Dricus du Plessis defeated Darren Till by submission (rear-naked choke) at 2:43 of Round 3 in a middleweight bout positioned as a potential title eliminator. Du Plessis rocked Till with heavy punches early in Round 1, forcing a recovery, then survived a tight guillotine in Round 2 before securing the finish after a takedown and transitioning to the choke.[47][48] Ilia Topuria defeated Bryce Mitchell by submission (arm-triangle choke) at 3:10 of Round 2 in the featherweight bout. Topuria stuffed takedowns and countered with strikes before securing the choke after a scramble on the ground.[7]Preliminary Cards
The preliminary card for UFC 282 consisted of seven bouts broadcast on ESPN and ESPN+, showcasing a mix of established veterans and rising prospects in various weight classes. On the ESPN prelims, Jairzinho Rozenstruik knocked out Chris Daukaus with strikes at 0:23 of the first round in a heavyweight clash, ending the fight with a series of unanswered punches against the cage. Edmen Shahbazyan defeated Dalcha Lungiambula by TKO (strikes) at 4:41 of Round 2 in a middleweight bout, overwhelming Lungiambula with ground-and-pound after a takedown. Chris Curtis knocked out Joaquin Buckley with strikes at 2:49 of Round 2 in another middleweight matchup, capitalizing on a counter right hand that stunned Buckley. Billy Quarantillo defeated Alexander Hernandez by TKO (strikes) at 4:30 of the second round in their featherweight clash, reversing an early takedown attempt into dominant striking from top position. TJ Brown submitted Erik Silva with an arm-triangle choke at 3:41 of the third round in the lightweight bout, securing the tap after a prolonged grappling exchange. On the early prelims via ESPN+ and UFC Fight Pass, Cameron Saaiman defeated Steven Koslow by TKO (strikes) at 4:13 of Round 3 in a bantamweight matchup, breaking Koslow down with leg kicks and follow-up punches. In the featured early prelim bantamweight fight, 18-year-old prospect Raul Rosas Jr. submitted Jay Perrin with a rear-naked choke at 2:44 of the first round, marking him as the youngest winner in UFC history at the time.[49]Post-Event
Bonus Awards
At UFC 282 on December 10, 2022, a record eleven fighters received post-fight bonus awards totaling $550,000, marking the most bonuses distributed in a single UFC event. UFC President Dana White deviated from the standard format by awarding a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus to every fighter who achieved a finish, citing the exceptional quality and action across the card; this included nine such recipients in addition to the traditional Fight of the Night award.[50][51] The Fight of the Night bonus, valued at $50,000 each, was given to Darren Till and Dricus du Plessis for their middleweight clash, which du Plessis won by submission (rear-naked choke) in the third round after intense striking exchanges and grappling attempts that captivated the audience.[50][51] The Performance of the Night bonuses recognized dominant or highlight-reel finishes, selected based on criteria emphasizing excitement, technical skill, and overall impact as determined by UFC officials immediately following the event. The recipients were:[52]- Cameron Saaiman (unanimous decision win over Steven Koslow)[1]
- TJ Brown (submission win over Erik Silva)
- Billy Quarantillo (TKO win over Alexander Hernandez)
- Chris Curtis (KO win over Joaquin Buckley)
- Edmen Shahbazyan (TKO win over Dalcha Lungiambula)
- Jairzinho Rozenstruik (KO win over Chris Daukaus)
- Raul Rosas Jr. (armbar submission win over Jay Perrin)
- Ilia Topuria (second-round arm-triangle submission win over Bryce Mitchell)
- Santiago Ponzinibbio (unanimous decision over Alex Morono, awarded as a performance for his striking output despite going the distance)[50][51]