UFC 296: Make your predictions for Edwards vs. Covington, Pantoja vs. Royval title fights (Updated)
(Updated Dec. 13, 2023, for removal of Vicente Luque vs. Ian Machado Garry.)
We want your predictions for UFC 296 in Las Vegas.
Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).
Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC 296 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC 296 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on ESPN+.
Make your picks for the fights below.
Randy Brown vs. Muslim Salikhov
Records: Brown (17-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC), Salikhov (19-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
Past five: Brown 4-1, Salikhov 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Brown -270, Salikhov +220
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-randy-brown-vs-musli” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Martin Buday vs. Shamil Gaziev
Records: Buday (13-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC), Gaziev (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Buday 5-0, Gaziev 5-0
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Buday -160, Shail Gaziev +135
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-martin-buday-vs-sham” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Lucas Almeida vs. Andre Fili
Records: Almeida (14-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Fili (22-10 MMA, 10-9 UFC)
Past five: Almeida 3-2, Andre Fili 2-3
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Fili -175, Almeida +145
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-lucas-almeida-vs-and” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Cody Durden vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
Records: Durden (16-4-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC), Ulanbekov (14-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC)
Past five: Durden 4-1, Ulanbekov 4-1
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Durden honorable mention
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Ulanbekov -175, Durden +145
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-cody-durden-vs-tagir” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Dustin Jacoby vs. Alonzo Menifield
Records: Jacoby (19-7-1 MMA, 7-4-1 UFC), Menifield (14-3-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC)
Past five: Jacoby 3-2, Menifield 3-1-1
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Jacoby -265, Menifield +215
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-dustin-jacoby-vs-alo” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Ariane Lipski vs. Casey O'Neill
Records: Lipski (16-8 MMA, 5-5 UFC), O’Neill (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC)
Past five: Lipski 3-2, O’Neill 4-1
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: O’Neill No. 12
Odds (as of 12.12.23): O’Neill -200, Lipski +170
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-ariane-lipski-vs-cas” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Cody Garbrandt vs. Brian Kelleher
Records: Garbrandt (13-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC), Kelleher (24-14 MMA, 8-7 UFC)
Past five: Garbrandt 2-3, Kelleher 2-3
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Garbrandt -210, Kelleher +175
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-cody-garbrandt-vs-br” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa
Records: Aldana (14-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC), Rosa (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Past five: Aldana 3-2, Rosa 3-2
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Rankings: Aldana No. 6, Rosa No. 10
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Aldana -220, Rosa +180
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-irene-aldana-vs-karo” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell
Records: Emmett (18-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC), Mitchell (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC)
Past five: Emmett 3-2, Mitchell 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: Emmett No. 7, Mitchell No. 10
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Mitchell -220, Emmett +180
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-josh-emmett-vs-bryce” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett
Records: Ferguson (25-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC), Pimblett (20-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Ferguson 0-5, Pimblett 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Pimblett -330, Ferguson +260
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-tony-ferguson-vs-pad” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson
Records: Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC)
Past five: Rakhmonov 5-0, Thompson 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Thompson No. 7, Rakhmonov No. 8
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Rakhmonov -650, Thompson +450
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-shavkat-rakhmonov-vs” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval
Records: Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC), Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
Past five: Pantoja 4-1, Royval 3-2
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Pantoja No. 2, honorable mention pound-for-pound; Royval No. 6
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Pantoja -185, Royval +155
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-alexandre-pantoja-vs-FaFv” customer=”mmajunkie”>
Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington
Records: Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC), Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC)
Past five: Edwards 5-0, Covington 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Edwards No. 1, No. 5 pound-for-pound; Covington No. 4
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Edwards -160, Covington +135
[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-leon-edwards-vs-colb” customer=”mmajunkie”>
UFC 296 fight card (as of Dec. 13, 11 p.m. ET)
MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Champ Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington – for welterweight title
Champ Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval – for flyweight title
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson
Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett
Vicente Luque vs. TBA
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET)
Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell
Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa
Cody Garbrandt vs. Brian Kelleher
Ariane Lipski vs. Casey O’Neill
PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)
Dustin Jacoby vs. Alonzo Menifield
Cody Durden vs. Tagir Ulanbekov
Lucas Almeida vs. Andre Fili
Martin Buday vs. Shamil Gaziev
Randy Brown vs. Muslim Salikhov
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.