UFC 296 SHAVKAT RAKHMONOV VS STEPHEN THOMPSON | FULL FIGHT | HIGHLIGHTS
6#UFC296 #RAKHMONOV #STEPHENTHOMPSON
UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will take place on December 16, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[1]
Background
A UFC Welterweight Championship bout between current champion Leon Edwards and former interim champion Colby Covington is expected to headline the event.[2] Belal Muhammad is expected to serve as backup and potential replacement for this fight.[3]
A UFC Flyweight Championship bout between current champion Alexandre Pantoja and former LFA Flyweight Champion Brandon Royval is expected to take place at the event.[2] The pair previously met at UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Gastelum in August 2021 which Pantoja won by second-round submission.[4] Former two-time champion Brandon Moreno is expected to serve as backup and potential replacement for this fight.[5]
A featherweight bout between former interim UFC Featherweight Championship challenger Josh Emmett and Giga Chikadze was expected to take place at this event.[6] However, Chikadze withdrew due to a torn groin and was replaced by Bryce Mitchell.[7][8]
A welterweight bout between Ian Machado Garry and Vicente Luque was expected to take place at the event.[9] However, the bout was scrapped after Garry withdrew due to contracting pneumonia the week of the event.[10]
Fight card
Main card
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Welterweight Leon Edwards (c) vs. Colby Covington [a]
Flyweight Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Brandon Royval [b]
Welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson
Lightweight Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett
Preliminary card (ESPN2 / ESPN+)
Featherweight Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell
Women's Bantamweight Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa
Bantamweight Cody Garbrandt vs. Brian Kelleher
Women's Flyweight Casey O'Neill vs. Ariane Lipski
Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)
Light Heavyweight Alonzo Menifield vs. Dustin Jacoby
Flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Cody Durden
Featherweight Andre Fili vs. Lucas Almeida
Heavyweight Martin Buday vs. Shamil Gaziev
Welterweight Randy Brown vs. Muslim Salikhov