UFC Abu Dhabi underway with trimmed card, Ankalaev-Guskov main event

UFC Fight Night 282 is underway Saturday at Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, with former light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev facing short-notice replacement Bogdan Guskov in the main event. The card was reduced to 12 bouts after a last-minute cancellation, though early prelim action delivered finishes across the board.

Card Shakeup

Guskov, ranked No. 10 in the light heavyweight division, stepped in on less than two weeks' notice after Khalil Rountree Jr. withdrew due to an undisclosed injury. The UFC announced the change on July 13. The event was further disrupted when welterweight prospect Islam Dulatov was hospitalized, forcing the cancellation of his bout against Wellington Turman hours before the card began.sportsnet+2

Early Prelim Results

The preliminary card, which began airing on Paramount+ at 9 a.m. ET, opened with action across multiple weight classes. Sam Patterson finished veteran Santiago Ponzinibbio with a right hand, earning a TKO stoppage in the welterweight contest. The win moved Patterson to 15-3-1 overall and 5-2 inside the UFC, while Ponzinibbio fell to 30-10.mmajunkie.usatoday

Nurullo Aliev earned a shutout unanimous decision over Mike Davis, with all three judges scoring the bout 30-27, while Abdul Hussein submitted Cody Gibson on the early prelims.ufc

Heel Hook King Returns

Valter Walker, who entered Abu Dhabi riding a four-fight submission streak built entirely on heel hooks, faced Thomas Petersen in a heavyweight bout on the preliminary card. Walker, 15-1, had finished Louie Sutherland in just 84 seconds at his previous outing, and Petersen had never been submitted in his professional career heading into the matchup.reddit+1

The main card, featuring Ankalaev-Guskov along with Steve Erceg vs. Ramazan Temirov and Magomed Zaynukov vs. Damian Rzepecki, is scheduled for noon ET on Paramount+.mmafighting