By Josh Lynnes
LAS VEGAS, NV – The UFC returns to T-Mobile Arena Saturday for the final pay-per-view of 2022. Top contenders headline the card as former light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz faces Magomed Ankalaev scrap for the vacant light heavyweight belt in the main even.
After a shoulder injury forced light heavyweight champion Jiri Procházka to withdraw from what was scheduled to be his first title defense against Glover Teixeira, facing a long recovery Procházka vacated the title to allow the division to move ahead while he deals with the injury. Teixeira declined a short notice replacement opting to wait and face the winner between Blachowicz and Ankalaev.
Blachowicz is coming off a TKO injury stoppage victory over Aleksandar Rakic in May. Ankalaev rides a 9-fight winning streak that most recently seen him with a second round TKO finish of former title challenger Anthony Smith.
In the co-main event Liverpool’s Paddy Pimblett looks to remain unbeaten since coming to the UFC when he faces octagon veteran Jared Gordon at lightweight.
The always exciting Santiago Ponzinibbio looks to get back into the win column as he takes on the streaking Texan Alex Morono in a 180lb. catchweight bout.
The UK’s Darren Till returns to the cage for the first time in over a year as he takes on South African sensation Dricus Du Plessis in a battle of top 15 middleweights.
Kicking off the main card is a battle of unbeaten featherweights between Bryce Mitchell and Ilia Topuria.
Fighting on the prelims Chris Curtis takes on Joaquin Buckley at middleweight. Edmed Shahbazyan faces Dalcha Lungiambula in a middleweight tilt. Heavyweights Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Chris Daukaus look to get back in the win column. Newcomer Raul Rosas Jr. battles Jay Perrin in the feature bout of the prelims.
Early prelims include:
Bantamweight – Cameron Saaiman vs. Steven Koslow
Featherweight – TJ Brown vs. Erik Silva
Featherweight – Billy Quarantillo vs Alexander Hernandez
Early prelims start at 5:30PM CDT on UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+. Action then shifts to ESPN2 and ESPN+ at 7:00PM followed by the pay-per-view main card at 9:00PM on ESPN+ PPV.
