The Ultimate Fighting Championship will host the mixed martial arts contest Bachowicz vs. Ankalaev at UFC 282. It will happen on December 10, 2022, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, a city in the United States that is a part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area.
Originally, the event was supposed to feature a rematch for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship between then-champion Ji Procházka (also a former Rizin Light Heavyweight Champion) and former champion Glover Teixeira. In their previous encounter at UFC 275 in June, Procházka prevailed by submission in the fifth round to claim victory and the belt. Procházka, however, withdrew on November 23 as a result of a shoulder injury that will necessitate surgery and at least six months of recovery. Teixeira declined to take on Magomed Ankalaev as a replacement after he made the decision to forfeit the title. In order to fill the vacant championship, the fight between previous champion Jan Bachowicz and Ankalaev—who was also the former KSW Light Heavyweight Champion—was elevated to the status of the main event.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Chris Daukaus was initially set for UFC Fight Night: Dern vs. Yan, but for unclear reasons, it was moved to this event.
In a middleweight match, promotional newcomer Bo Nickal was supposed to compete against Jamie Pickett. But in late October, it was revealed that Nickal pulled out due to an injury, and the fight was called off.
At the event, Alexander Gustafsson and Ovince Saint Preux (Saint Preux for the interim) were scheduled to square off in a light heavyweight fight. Gustafsson was replaced by Philipe Lins, the winner of the 2018 PFL heavyweight championship, after Gustafsson withdrew for an unspecified reason. Following Lins’ withdrawal from the fight for an unknown cause, Antonio Trocoli took his place. Trocoli, however, withdrew owing to a visa problem. Saint Preux was consequently removed from the lineup as well since the promotion was unable to locate a suitable replacement.
Ronnie Lawrence and Cameron Saaiman were scheduled to fight at bantamweight during the occasion. The week before the event, Lawrence withdrew for unspecified reasons, and Steven Koslow, a promotional newbie, took his place.
The event was supposed to feature a welterweight fight between former UFC Welterweight Champion Robbie Lawler and Santiago Ponzinibbio. It was originally planned for the pair to face off at UFC 245 in 2019, but Ponzinibbio withdrew because of a staph infection. The fight, however, was called off once more the week of the event when Lawler was forced to withdraw due to an unspecified injury. Alex Morono, who had a catchweight of 180 pounds, took his place.
Vinicius Salvador and Daniel da Silva were scheduled to square off at flyweight during the tournament. Though da Silva weighed in at 129 pounds, three pounds over the flyweight non-title fight limit, it was revealed following the official weigh-ins that he had been removed off the bill due to an unexplained medical concern, and the fight was called off.
