On December 10, the UFC is heading back to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with what could be the promotion’s biggest show of 2022. The UFC loves to end the year with a bang and this card is already shaping up to be a good one. Today, we’ll discuss some UFC 282 rumors and offer some early fight predictions.
It may not be long before the UFC formally announces this card’s main and co-main events. In the meantime, all we can do is speculate.
Latest UFC 282 Rumors
Look back at the UFC’s final PPV events of the year and you will notice a similar trend. These cards are always stacked with huge fights. The UFC works to end the year with a bang and all signs point to that being the case in 2022.
Even now, there are several huge fights booked for this event that have created MMA news around the world. Rumors have been floating around over who else will be competing on this card. There are certainly some intriguing bouts that could come together.
Jones vs. Miocic Will Headline UFC 282
Jon Jones is widely considered the best pound-for-pound fighter in MMA. Unfortunately, he has been on the sidelines since early 2020 in an effort to put on size for a move to the heavyweight division. That move could finally take place in December against a very difficult opponent.
Rumors indicate Jon Jones could be headlining this event against Stipe Miocic. Many consider Stipe to be the greatest heavyweight fighter of all time. Miocic has signaled he would be interested in fighting Jones, particularly while Francis Ngannou is out due to injury.
This would be a massive fight for the sport of MMA. Everyone appears interested in seeing Jon make his comeback in a new weight class. Could he defeat one of the division’s best fighters? Time will tell.
The Prochazka vs. Teixeira Rematch Acts as the Co-Main Event of UFC 282
Serving as the co-main event of UFC 282 is rumored to be the rematch between Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira. The first fight between these men was one of the greatest fights of all time. The UFC opted to book these men into an immediate rematch and UFC 282 is the perfect spot for this mega-fight to take place.
Prochazka earned the UFC light-heavyweight belt after just three fights in the promotion. He is an elite striker with tremendous ground skills. No one expected him to score a submission over Teixeira, who many consider the best submission artist at 205 pounds.
Glover Teixeira appeared to be on the brink of defending his title before that last-minute submission loss to Prochazka. He has a chance to reclaim that belt, yet a loss could mean his retirement from MMA. It should be a fantastic bout from start to finish.
UFC 282 Fight Predictions
As of now, the UFC has confirmed six fights for its card on December 10. That includes several bouts featuring title contenders. If the UFC 282 rumors above are proven true, this will certainly be one of the biggest cards of the year.
Darren Till vs. Dricus du Plessis
The biggest fight announced so far for UFC 282 is the middleweight matchup between Darren Till and Dricus du Plessis. These two men are known for their striking skills and this bout seems likely to end in a knockout.
This could end up being a breakout performance for du Plessis. The South African has a wealth of experience in kickboxing and has proven to have a fantastic chin. We are expecting Dricus to begin picking Till apart with his quick combinations before landing a knockout shot late in the second round.
Robbie Lawler vs. Santiago Ponzinibbio
A bout between two legendary welterweights will take place on this card, too. Robbie Lawler is hoping to bounce back from a TKO loss against a very dangerous opponent. Santiago Ponzinibbio is coming off two very close split decision losses and is telling the media he plans to score a knockout in this bout.
This fight seems tailor-made for Ponzinibbio. He is the harder puncher and has fantastic cardio. Expect to see him meeting Lawler in the middle of the cage, looking to land his massive hooks. Late in the first round, he will land that shot to score the knockout and solidify Robbie’s last fight in MMA.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Chris Daukaus
The other big fight booked for this card is the heavyweight matchup between Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Chris Daukaus. Both fighters have their back against the wall here after coming up short in their last bouts. That could mean this turns into a very exciting firefight with so much on the line.
This is a difficult bout to predict, as both men are strikers. They have vastly different styles, however, with Jairzinho being a kickboxer and Daukaus more of a pure boxer. In those matchups, the kickboxer usually wins and we predict Rozenstruik to score a decision win by using those kicking skills.
Hope is that the UFC 282 rumors we covered turn out to be true. Fans will certainly be in for a treat if that is the case. Stay tuned for updates on this fight card as it draws closer.
