The vacant UFC light heavyweight championship is up for grabs on Saturday night in the main event of UFC 282. Former champion Jan Blachowicz is looking to regain the crown when he takes on surging top contender Magomed Ankalaev after injury forced Jiri Prochazka to vacate the belt.
Blachowicz, 39, earned the title in 2020 with a thunderous knockout of Dominick Reyes. He then scored a surprising decision over middleweight champion Israel Adesanya before being submitted by Glover Teixeira in October 2021 to cede the title. Now, after earning a win over Aleksandr Rakic because of a knee injury, Blachowicz looks to become golden again.
In the co-main event, Paddy Pimblett looks to continue growing into a status as one of the sport's fastest rising stars when he takes on Jared Gordon in lightweight action. Pimblett is riding a five-fight winning streak, which includes winning his first three trips to the UFC Octagon.
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The opening bout on PPV is also getting plenty of attention as Ilia Topuria is set to take on Bryce Mitchell in a featherweight contest. Mitchell has made headlines with his mouth, but his skill inside the ring can't be overlooked. The submission ace scored a rare twister against Matt Sayles in December 2019, but he has gone the distance in his last three appearances. Topuria, meanwhile, has made a habit of finishing off grapplers with three straight knockouts. Ironically enough, Topuria scored seven straight subs to start his career before joining the promotion.
Below is all the information you need to catch UFC 282 on Saturday night.
How to watch UFC 282 prelims
Date: Dec. 10 | Location: T-Mobile Arena -- Las Vegas
Time: 6:30 p.m. ET for early prelims
Channel: ESPN2 | Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
How to watch UFC 282 main card
Date: Dec. 10 | Location: T-Mobile Arena -- Las Vegas
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Stream: ESPN+ PPV | Price: $74.99
Now, here's a look at the UFC 282 main fight card and betting odds via Caesars Sportsbook.
UFC 282 main card, odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
| Magomed Ankalaev -300 | Jan Blachowicz +240 | Light heavyweight title |
| Paddy Pimblett -260 | Jared Gordon +210 | Lightweights |
| Santiago Ponzinibbio -180 | Alex Morono +155 | 180-pound catchweights |
| Dricus du Plessis -190 | Darren Till +160 | Middleweights |
| Ilia Topuria -140 | Bryce Mitchell +120 | Featherweights |
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