2022 has been a banner year for the UFC. Before the year ends, the promotion is putting on one last pay-per-view with the UFC 282 on December 10. You’ll want to read this to get our expert betting picks on UFC 282’s top fights — free of cost too!
Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev Betting Pick
The light heavyweight belt is at stake in this fight after an injury to title-holder Jiri Prochazka and the number-one contender's, Glover Teixeira, refusal to fight another opponent. Blachowicz and Ankalaev are the two and three, respectively, ranked fighters in the class. Despite that, top UFC betting sites are actually favoring the lower-ranked Ankalaev in the main event:
Ankalaev is deserving of favoritism. All we need to say is Ankalaev hails out of Dagestan, Russia to give you an idea of how he fights — mean and with a whole lot of wrestling. The Russian has racked up nine consecutive wins. If not for a flukey loss in his UFC debut, Ankalaev would be an undefeated fighter throughout his MMA career. While Ankalaev thrives on the ground, he does have a striking game too. Ten of his 18 career wins have been by knockout, while the other eight were decisions.
Whereas Ankalaev is new to fighting for titles, Blachowicz is not. His previous title reign came under similar circumstances when Blachowicz stopped Dominick Reyes in a vacant title clash. Blachowicz successfully defended the title against Izzy Adesanya (who moved up weight for it) before dropping it to the aforementioned Teixeira. At 39 years of age, Blachowicz certainly has the experience, but Ankalaev is more in his athletic prime at 30.
We expect an absolute epic in this fight. Both fighters love a good striking contest— and each possesses stoppage power. But to us, the difference is the takedown game. If Ankalaev is smart, he takes Blachowicz down, not only to score points with the judges but to tire out the fighter. Ankalaev needs to minimize Blachowicz's KO ability and that’s via wear-and-tear grappling. Our money is on Ankalaev to gut out a five-round decision victory.
Paddy Pimblett vs. Jared Gordon Betting Pick
The Pimblett hype train rolls on at UFC 282. Paddy’s strong accent, cheeky personality, and flash stoppages have made him a favorite of UFC fans and bettors alike. He’s currently listed as -250 to win straight up, however, we’re more enthusiastic about the Pimblett-Gordon over/under which is set at 2.5 rounds for the three-round lightweight clash.
Paddy is 3-0 since entering the UFC more than a year ago. Over his career, he’s 19-3 (with a five-fight winning streak). Impressive, sure, but if we’re being honest Paddy’s opponents have been mostly a bunch of pushovers. Welp, that’s certainly not the word we’d use to describe Gordon, an 11-fight UFC veteran.
Gordon, without question, is the biggest challenge of Paddy’s young career. The 34-year-old doesn’t lack experience even in the slightest. Gordon has also won four of his previous five bouts so will enter the cage with plenty of momentum and confidence.
None of Paddy’s three UFC fights have gone the distance and we’re betting that streak extends to four. Yes, our money is on the under 2.5. We’re predicting Paddy to score a submission win. Gordon has a solid wrestling arsenal, but that could leave him vulnerable to getting caught by Paddy’s superb jiu-jitsu at some point between the three rounds.
Dricus du Plessis vs. Darren Till Betting Pick
If you’re looking for a Fight of the Night contender, then this middleweight clash might be it. Both these fighters love to stand up and swing, which sets up a war come UFC 282. We’ll be betting on the Du Plessis-Till moneyline, which is pretty even. Here’s where oddsmakers stand on it:
This feels like a last-gasp fight for Till. Last gasp because his fighting career is on the rocks. Once a rising star in the sport, Till’s star is beginning to fade. He’s lost four of his previous fights against a who’s-who of contenders — Tyron Woodley, Jorge Masvidal, Robert Whittaker, and Derek Brunson. Moreover, he hasn’t stepped into the octagon in 15 months. Til turns 30 later this month and is practically in a must-win position.
Du Plessis is now what Till once was — a fighter on the ascend. He’s 17-2 over his career, winning all three of his UFC fights. The best way to describe du Plessis is unorthodox. Whether he’s kickboxing or grappling, the offense rarely lets up from du Plessis. We expect him to be the fight’s aggressor, more so than Till.
While we’re not quite ready to write off Till like many UFC fans and bettors are, we still can’t back him to win here. Given this rough patch since 2018, his mental confidence has to be shot. That’s a precarious position to be in against du Plessis, who can finish opponents at any moment. Du Plessis is our pick to win this rock-em-sock-em fight.
How To Bet On UFC 282
For a full list of UFC 282 bets, hit one of the sportsbooks listed below. This table features the best betting sites around — especially when it comes to the fight game. Inside the table, you’ll find updated sportsbook reviews and details on lucrative sign-up bonuses. Evaluate both when deciding where to park your money at come UFC 282.
