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The buildup to UFC 282 hinted at something special. It appeared as though the scene was laid for the two contests at the top of the bill to create an evening that may have been hailed as one of the finest pay-per-view cards of the year with the first 10 fights finishing through stoppage. That did not occur.
Everyone who attended the main event, including the promotion staff, were left scratching their heads at what in the world had transpired to cause the event to collapse with the final two fights.
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Jan Blachowicz ends in split draw:
In the five-round main event of UFC 282, Magomed Ankalaev and Jan Blachowicz fought to a split draw, which resulted in the loss of the light heavyweight championship. The fight was meant to clarify the 205-pound division after former champion Jiri Procházka relinquished the title due to a serious shoulder injury.
The title bout featured opportunities for both competitors. Early rounds were won by Blachowicz thanks to a continuous dosage of leg kicks that prevented Ankalaev from keeping up with him on his feet. The Russian took control of the fight in the championship rounds, though, thanks to a takedown that occurred late in the third round.
Nevertheless, rather than taking home the strap, it was only quite enough to set off the draw. As it seeks for Procházka to recover from his injury and return to the title hunt, the division is currently in even more confusion than it was before.
However, the surprising draw wasn't the only contentious choice. The victory of Paddy Pimblett in the co-main also generated a lot of buzz online.
Paddy Pimblett def. Jared Gordon via unanimous decision:
Paddy Pimblett didn't exactly get the one-sided bashing he might have been expecting for, but he still managed to defeat Jared Gordon by unanimous decision in the co-main event. One of the company's growing stars who is climbing the quickest is Pimblett. In contrast to his first three UFC fights, his fourth was significantly tougher for him.
Gordon forced the Liverpudlian to a decision for the first time in a UFC fight. The challenger had some impact in the ring and revealed some weaknesses in Pimblett's resistance that need to be fixed going ahead. Although he may have persuaded the judges, many pundits weren't as thrilled.
Overall, Pimblett accomplished what was required of him to raise his hand, but in order for him to develop his peak performance, he will need this to serve as a wake-up call.
Santiago Ponzibibbio def. Alex Morono via KO:
Santiago Ponzinibbio shouldn't be written off just yet. With a third-round TKO victory over Alex Morono in a catchweight fight, the Argentine Dagger showed the audience just how lethal he was capable of being.
After Robbie Lawler had to withdraw from the programme due to injury, Morono accepted the bout with only five days' notice. Morono breezed through the opening two rounds. Simply enough, he was too swift for Ponzinibbio and could strike anywhere.
However, Ponzinibbio always possessed the ability to turn a fight around, and he used it in the third round. He stunned his opponent with a vicious right hand through Morono's defence before delivering a second blow.
Ponzinibbio was set to compete for the title in 2018, but a number of health difficulties caused him to sit out for almost three years. In his last four fights after rejoining the Octagon in 2021, he had lost three. When he let his fist fly, it was a good sign to observe that he still had the strength to smash rivals out.
Dricus Du Plessis def. Darren Till via submission:
In a frantic back-and-forth fight that had a little bit of everything, Dricus Du Plessis earned the biggest victory of his career.
The opening round was led by Du Plessis. He stepped into the fight immediately after the opening bell, got Till on the ground, and quickly forced the referee to end it. Till, however, eventually turned the tables on a worn-out Du Plessis at the end of the round.
In the second round, Till maintained his rhythm. He appeared to be exploitation of a worn-out Du Plessis during his brief seconds on the move.
However, those instances were erased as a refocused Du Plessis fell to the ground again in the third round. He forced Till to the ground before applying the neck crank to secure the victory.
Ilia Topuria def. Bryce Mitchell via submission:
Ilia Topuria and Bryce Mitchell's featherweight fight was one of the most evenly balanced matches on paper on the card.
With a second-round submission victory over Mitchell, Topuria overpowered the opponent from start to finish and handed Mitchell his first UFC defeat while maintaining his perfect record. Leg kicks from Topuria early in the first round helped him win it. Mitchell was then stunned by some effective boxing. He was ready to show off his grappling abilities by the second round.
Topuria happily fell to the ground while Mitchell was being rocked, which is typically Mitchell's style. Prior to locking in the head-arm triangle choke that caused the tap, he moved into a number of beneficial positions to make his way up the ropes. After the victory, there won't be many featherweights eager to challenge the 25-year-old.