UFC 282 is set to go down this Saturday, December 10th, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The fight card is headlined by the light heavyweight title showdown between Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev.
Meanwhile, the co-main event sees Paddy Pimblett return to the octagon. “Paddy to Baddy” will lock horns with Jared Gordon in the lightweight division, following a host of eye-catching match-ups on the stacked card.
You will be pleased to learn that I have analyzed the UFC 282 odds to track down the best bets for Saturday’s event. Read on to discover my UFC 282 predictions for Blachowicz vs. Ankalaev, Pimblett vs. Gordon and another standout fight.
Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev Predictions
Fight Odds: Blachowicz (+235) vs. Ankalaev (-280)
Many believe that Ankalaev will make light work of Blachowicz, but I’m not convinced. Of course, the Russian is an expert fighter, but the man from Poland has the tools to win this bout.
Let’s not forget that Blachowicz dominated the UFC’s 205-pound division for the best part of three years. Granted, he is now in the twilight of his career, but his ability to deliver a KO/TKO victory remains the same.
Although Blachowicz’s lengthy winning streak was ended by Glover Teixeira in October 2021, the 39- year-old bounced back with a dominant victory against Aleksandar Rakic back in May. At +235, he looks like a great pick.
Best Bet: Jan Blachowicz to Win (+235)
Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon Predictions
Fight Odds: Pimblett (-250) vs. Gordon (+210)
As expected, Pimblett heads into Saturday’s co-main event as the bookmakers’ favorite. The Englishman is priced at -250 to beat Gordon, who is the underdog at +210. Will we see an upset in Las Vegas? I don’t think so.
Gordon suffered a submission defeat to Grant Dawson back in April, falling to a rear naked choke. Funnily enough, Pimblett has won each of his previous five fights – using the rear naked choke to claim three victories.
With that in mind, backing “The Baddy” to win by submission makes a lot of sense. Pimblett’s moneyline price isn’t worth bothering with, so I recommend throwing the method of victory into the mix.
Best Bet: Paddy Pimblett to Win by Submission (+200)
Darren Till vs. Dricus du Plessis Predictions
Fight Odds: Till (+155) vs. du Plessis (-180)
It’s fair to say that Dricus du Plessis has enjoyed plenty of success since making his UFC debut back in October 2020. The South African fighter boasts a perfect record in the UFC (3-0) and has lost just one of his previous 14 fights all told.
By contrast, Darren Till has struggled to make an impact in recent years. “The Gorilla” has lost four of his last five fights, suffering two submission defeats, on decision losses, and one KO.
Ultimately, I only see one winner here. I’m confident that du Plessis will extend his winning streak to six fights this weekend, inflicting another defeat on Till.
Best Bet: Dricus du Plessis to Win (-180)
UFC 282 Main Card Betting Lines
Jan Blachowicz (+235) vs. Magomed Ankalaev (-280)
Paddy Pimblett (-250) vs. Jared Gordon (+210)
Santiago Ponzinibbio (-180) vs. Alex Morono (+155)
Darren Till (+155) vs. Dricus du Plessis (-180)
Bryce Mitchell (+115) vs. Ilia Topuria (-135)
