Boardroom opens the Multiverse of Madness to explore EVERYTHING that could happen in the Jan Blachowicz vs. Magomed Ankalaev main event at UFC 282 on Dec. 10.
In the latest installment of Boardroom’s Multiverse of Madness, the MMA universe will witness two light heavyweight giants face each other for UFC gold when Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev headline UFC 282 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday. While both men are trekking toward a UFC championship, each competitor’s destination routes come from opposing streets.
For Blachowicz, the road traveled is familiar territory — a vacant championship for the taking. Jan won his first UFC title after facing Dominick Reyes at UFC 253 in a similar scenario where the contestants fought for a vacant championship. Through the ups and downs of becoming the first male Polish champion, Blachowicz has vowed to become champion again and reclaim the light heavyweight throne.
Ankalaev believes that the time is now for him to finally become a world champion. His grinding style of consistent pressure may not cause MMA fans to rush to their computers to check out his highlight reel. But the relative newcomer’s style has led him to this position, and he’s vowed to capitalize on it.
Putting Blachowicz and Ankalaev together inside the same cage could result in a less exciting fight, although both possess dangerous power. They are fighters who understand risks, establish dominance, and stick to their game plans. FanDuel has set the lines of the fight in favor of the newcomer by a sizeable margin — with Ankaleav at -340 and Blachowicz at +250 on the moneyline as of Friday afternoon — signaling the dangers of his vicious top game regardless of the pedigree of his earlier opponents.
Therefore, we open our Multiverse of Madness to explore every possible fight result, from ultra-realistic outcomes to unquestionably abnormal outcomes that could change the entire landscape and record books of the UFC’s light heavyweight divisional history. Plus, resetting the division to create some much-needed new matchups in the absence of Jon Jones and the current champion in Jiří Procházka.
(The odds listed below were as of Dec. 9 but are subject to change ahead of the fight.)
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Most Likely Blachowicz Victory Scenario: KO/TKO
FanDuel Odds: +550
There’s a reason why they call it Polish power. Aleksandar Rakić, Reyes, Corey Anderson, and Luke Rockhold are just a few names that have experienced Jan’s power. Whether it’s his left or right fist, Blachowicz has countlessly demonstrated that he has the one-touch power to shut off the lights of any opponent daring to go toe-toe against it.
How did Blachowicz win his first title? A TKO victory by punches that put a vacant championship around his waist. If he were to win on Saturday, it wouldn’t shock any fans who have already witnessed the identical scenario play out against a different opponent.
Most Likely Ankalaev Victory Scenario: KO/TKO
FanDuel Odds: +130
Just like Polish power, Ankalaev possesses the same dynamite fists. Out of his 18 victories, 10 have come by knockout, and all of them concluded with his fists in the faces of his opponents, which were then raised in victory. If that isn’t scary enough, the Russian powerhouse further explained that he wouldn’t crumble under the allure of Polish power, nor is he afraid to stand in the fire against it.
Ankalaev finishing Blachowicz is expected by all measures across the board, according to oddsmakers. So if his nine-fight win streak increases to 10 by KO/TKO, the UFC’s light heavyweight division will have a fresh new face and a champion that strikes fear in the hearts of fresh contenders until Procházka returns from injury.
Shocking-but-possible Outcome: Ankalaev By Points
FanDuel Odds: +240
As dominant as Ankalaev is as a wrestler and ground control specialist, he has yet to win an MMA fight by submission. Primarily due to his barbarian ground-and-pound being his preferred method of finishing his opponents.
When Ankalaev gets people on the ground, they don’t get back up. His ability to generate such force is more than just bludgeoning his opponent into defeat. It also forces his foes into making mistakes and putting themselves in vulnerable positions that could typically be avoided without dealing with the threat of powerful punches.
If he can dominate Blachowicz on the ground early on, it could be a long night for the former Polish champion. Finding that success early could give Ankalaev the confidence to keep their fight on the mats, earning him a less-than-exciting yet dominant decision win.
MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS Mind-blowing Scenario: Blachowicz by Submission
FanDuel Odds: +1400
Blachowicz is no slouch on the ground. He’s earned nine of his 29 victories by submission and entered the world of MMA with a heavy grappling concentration. However, Ankalaev could be the best wrestler that he’s faced to date, especially when factoring in size and strength.
In terms of scoring a submission, the better pure BJJ is in favor of the former champ. When the fight goes to the ground, Ankalaev will do his best to avoid challenging scrambles and stay on top unless he genuinely believes in his grappling abilities. If he’s overconfident, Blachowicz could capitalize on his stellar takedown defense and skillful submission game to earn him an underdog victory.
If Blachowicz gets the submission, he’ll join the ranks of Randy Coture and Jon Jones as the only light heavyweights to win the championship twice. That additional accolade adds an exciting dynamic for a match against Procházka, who would also be in a position to join those ranks.
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