Best bets for UFC 282: Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev
Saturday’s UFC 282 in Las Vegas is the organization's last pay-per-view event for the calendar year. The 13-bout card begins at 2:30 p.m. PT, with the main card starting at 7 p.m. PT.
Last week Phil Rowe got his hand raised as a +120 underdog padding 2022 profitability to 26-19 +9.77 units entering the remaining two events of the year.
Jan Blachowicz (+185) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (-210)
Light heavyweight (205 pounds) championship | Main event
Finocchiaro: Third-ranked Blachowicz is the former champion who lost his belt late in 2021 to Glover Teixeira. Blachowicz has been in the octagon with the elite of his division, he’s deeply experienced and skilled, though now 39 he faces a man every bit his size but nine years younger.
A deft black belt in BJJ, Blachowicz possesses striking precision and power, evidenced by his nine wins via submission, nine via KO and 10 via decision. Blachowicz is a prototypical fighting machine.
Both men come with complete fight arsenals, though their specialties vary greatly. Where Blachowicz is BJJ trained and has naturally powerful striking, Ankalaev, the fourth-ranked athlete in the division, is less a power-based striker and more a steady, determined grappling vise grip.
Both are able strikers and though Ankalaev’s striking is less power-based, he does have deft strike defense and a granite chin. Blachowicz still has that natural pop in his punches, but he also has been finished in the past.
Ankalaev’s pressure wrestling must be on display early to both test Blachowicz’s takedown defense and force him to expend effort and energy. Ankalaev must find a way to sap Blachowicz early in order to turn this fight in his favor late.
Blachowicz is wily, savvy and always carries the threat of that power, but it’s my judgment that Ankalaev has the pressure style required to defeat Blachowicz and become the unofficial titleholder until he can defend it against the aforementioned former champion Teixeira, the fighter most of the MMA world considers to be the rightful titleholder.