The UFC's final event of 2023 is closing in. The promotion returns to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday for UFC 296's championship doubleheader featuring Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington and Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval.
Tensions are high between UFC welterweight champion Edwards and challenger Covington in the aftermath of this week's pre-fight press conference. Edwards makes the second defense of his title after coming out ahead in a trilogy against former champ Kamaru Usman. Covington fights for the first time in 21 months since rag-dolling Jorge Masvidal in a five-round main event.
Meanwhile, the co-main event brings us a rematch from three years ago when Pantoja and Royval first met. Little did we know that both fighters were on the rise to title contention at the time as Pantoja scored a second-round victory to continue his win streak and eventually land a title shot against Brandon Moreno this summer, where he claimed the champion in one of the year's best fights. Royval is no slouch, though, as he has ripped off three straight wins since that defeat to get his chance at revenge on Saturday night.
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Below is all the information you need to catch UFC 296 on Saturday night.
How to watch UFC 296 prelims
Date: Dec. 16 | Location: T-Mobile Arena -- Las Vegas
Time: 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. ET for early prelims)
Channel: ESPN
How to watch UFC 296 main card
Date: Dec. 16 | Location: T-Mobile Arena -- Las Vegas
Time: 10 p.m. ET
Stream: ESPN+ PPV | Price: $79.99
Now, here's a look at the UFC 295 main fight card and betting odds.
UFC 296 main card, odds
| Favorite | Underdog | Weightclass |
|---|---|---|
| Leon Edwards (c) -165 | Colby Covington +140 | Welterweight title |
| Alexandre Pantoja (c) -195 | Brandon Royval +165 | Flyweight title |
| Shavkat Rakhmonov -650 | Stephen Thompson +460 | Welterweights |
| Paddy Pimblett -330 | Tony Ferguson +260 | Lightweights |
| Bryce Mitchell -230 | Josh Emmett +190 | Featherweights |
Who wins UFC 296 Edwards vs. Covington, and how exactly does each fight end? Visit SportsLine now to get detailed picks on every fight at UFC 296, all from the MMA expert who profited more than $6,200 in 2022, and find out.
