UFC 296 predictions: One unanimous pick, but is it one of the Vegas title fights?

The UFC wraps up its 2023 schedule with a pair of title fights at the top of the lineup in Las Vegas.

UFC 296 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on ESPN+.

(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)

Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.

Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell

Records: Emmett (18-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC), Mitchell (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Betting odds: Mitchell -220, Emmett +180
Junkie pick results: Emmett 8, Mitchell 3

Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett

Records: Ferguson (25-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC), Pimblett (20-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Betting odds: Pimblett -330, Ferguson +260
Junkie pick results: Pimblett 8, Ferguson 3

Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson

Records: Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Betting odds: Rakhmonov -650, Thompson +450
Junkie pick results: Rakhmonov 11, Thompson 0

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval

Records: Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC), Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Betting odds: Pantoja -185, Royval +155
Junkie pick results: Pantoja 9, Royval 2

Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington

Records: Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC), Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Betting odds: Edwards -160, Covington +135
Junkie pick results: Edwards 7, Covington 4

Check out all the main card picks below.

UFC 296 main card picks

	Edwards vs. Covington	Pantoja vs. Royval	Rakhmonov vs. Thompson	Ferguson vs. Pimblett	Emmett vs. Mitchell
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 205-110	Edwards (51%)	Pantoja (82%)	Rakhmonov (76%)	Pimblett (52%)	Mitchell (61%)
Nolan King @mma_kings 204-111	Edwards	Pantoja	Rakhmonov	Pimblett	Emmett
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 200-115	Covington	Royval	Rakhmonov	Ferguson	Emmett
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 199-116 2014 Champion	Covington	Pantoja	Rakhmonov	Pimblett	Emmett
Simon Samano @SJSamano 197-118	Edwards	Royval	Rakhmonov	Ferguson	Mitchell
Ken Hathaway @1kenhathaway 197-118 2018, 2022 Champion	Edwards	Pantoja	Rakhmonov	Pimblett	Mitchell
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 192-123	Edwards	Pantoja	Rakhmonov	Pimblett	Emmett
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 188-127	Covington	Pantoja	Rakhmonov	Pimblett	Mitchell
Brian Garcia @thegoze 188-127 2017 Champion	Covington	Pantoja	Rakhmonov	Pimblett	Emmett
Matt Erickson @MattE 186-129	Edwards	Pantoja	Rakhmonov	Pimblett	Emmett
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 181-129	Edwards	Pantoja	Rakhmonov	Pimblett	Emmett
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 180-130	Edwards	Pantoja	Rakhmonov	Ferguson	Emmett

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie