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USA Today Sports Media Group

Sport

Matt Erickson

UFC 296: How to watch Edwards-Covington and Pantoja-Royval title fights, start time, fight card, odds, more

UFC Alexandre Pantoja Colby Covington ESPN UFC 296 (Event) Brandon Royval Leon Edwards Kamaru Usman Shamil Gaziev Brandon Moreno

The UFC closes out its year Saturday in Las Vegas.

Here’s how to watch UFC 296 with the welterweight and flyweight titles on the line at the top of the card.

Broadcast and streaming info

UFC 296 has a main card that begins at 10 p.m. ET on pay-per-view (via ESPN+). The four-fight prelim card airs on ESPN2 at 8 p.m. ET, and five early prelims stream on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET.

Main event: Leon Edwards

It’s been about eight years since Leon Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) last lost a fight. He’s 11-0-1 since then, including one of the most stunning upsets in MMA history to win the welterweight title with a last-minute head kick KO of Kamaru Usman. Then he beat Usman earlier this year in a rematch, which set him up for Usman rival Colby Covington.

Main event: Colby Covington

Eight years ago Tuesday, Colby Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) was submitted by Warlley Alves in less than 90 seconds at UFC 194. Then he went on a seven-fight winning streak that included the interim welterweight title. Since that loss to Alves, Covington has two setbacks – both to Kamaru Usman in attempts to win the title. But Edwards has the belt now, and Covington will take a shot at him after he beat bitter rival Jorge Masvidal more than 20 months ago.

Co-main event: Alexandre Pantoja

Jul 8, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Alexandre Pantoja (blue gloves) reacts to defeating Brandon Moreno (red gloves) during UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Alexandre Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) has won four straight fights, including a submission of Brandon Royval a little more than two years ago. He followed that up with a submission of Alex Perez, then took a split decision from Brandon Moreno in July to win the title at UFC 290 in Las Vegas.

Co-main event: Brandon Royval

Apr 15, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Brandon Royval (red gloves) reacts after fighting Matheus Nicolau (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at T-Mobile Center. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) gets his first flyweight title shot after a three-fight winning streak that has come on the heels of a second-round submission loss to Pantoja in 2021 before Pantoja won the belt. It was Royval’s second straight defeat after a loss to Brandon Moreno, but he’s bounced back with wins over Rogerio Bontorin, Matt Schnell and Matheus Nicolau to get another crack at Pantoja.

Featured bout: Rakhmonov vs. Thompson

Welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) has been virtually untouchable so far in his career. All 17 of his wins are by stoppage, with a near-even nine knockouts and eight submissions. In the UFC, he’s got submissions of Alex Oliveira, Michel Prazeres, Carlston Harris, Neil Magny and Geoff Neal, he latter of which came in March.

Stephen Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) got back in the win column a little more than a year ago with a finish of Kevin Holland after four rounds when Holland couldn’t answer the bell. Prior to that, the two-time welterweight title challenger had back-to-back decision losses to Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad in 2021.

UFC debut: Shamil Gaziev

Shamil Gaziev def. Greg Velasco | DWCS 63

Shamil Gaziev (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a 33-year-old heavyweight from Dagestan, will make his official UFC debut after a first-round rear-naked choke on Dana White’s Contender Series in September punched his ticket into the promotion. Gaziev has 10 of his 11 win by stoppage, including seven knockouts.