The UFC is ready to close out 2023 with a bang! UFC 296 brings the octagon back to the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this weekend as some of the best fighter in the world, including two champions and 16 ranked contenders, will look to put on a show to end the year.
The Welterweight Championship will be on the line in a main event that offers a fascinating stylistic matchup between two of the very best in the world. Plus, the newly-crowned Flyweight Champion will defend for the first time against a very exciting challenger and two top welterweights will look to stake their claim to be next in line for the winner of the main event.
Welterweight bout: Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson
The UFC’s welterweight division has a whole lot of talented fighters, and they have all taken notice of Shavkat Rakhmonov. Since entering the UFC in 2020, all Rakhmonov has done is win all five of his fights, four of them by submission and the other by knockout. His most recent opponent, Geoff Neal, was the first to take him to the third round before being submitted. Rakhmonov now stands at a perfect 17-0 with eight knockouts and nine submissions. He’s an absolute destroyer who has proven time and time again that he can stop anyone who steps into that cage with him.
However, this will be his first time facing off with an opponent who has been to the top of the mountain before. Former championship challenger Stephen Thompson is coming off od a dominant win over Kevin Holland a year ago, in which he looked as good as he ever has in the octagon. The karate-style fighter creates a very difficult puzzle for his opponents, and that has added up to a 17-6-1 record with eight knockouts. Thompson is going to have his hands full with this one though as he not only needs to survive the power of Rakhmonov in the striking game but he also needs to keep this fight on the feet.
My pick: Rakhmonov via 3rd round knockout
Flyweight Championship bout: Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval
It is going to be weird seeing a flyweight title fight that doesn’t involve Brandon Moreno or Deiveson Figueiredo. Current champ Alexandre Pantoja score the upset when he took a split decision and the belt from Moreno in July and now he’s looking to defend it for the first time. With a 26-5 record, eight knockouts and 10 submissions, Pantoja has proven he’s in the conversation for best in the world. He can end fights in a lot of ways and has submitted and/or knocked out some of the best in this class, including his challenger this time around: Brandon Royval.
Of course, that just means this is an opportunity for revenge for the challenger. Royval comes into this massive opportunity with a 15-6 record and nine submissions, while riding a three-fight winning streak. In fact, his last loss cam against Pantoja in 2021. Royval is incredibly active in the octagon and may be one of the very few who can match the pace of the champ. Which means this should be an exciting, fast-paced championship bout and a legitimate Fight of the Year candidate.
My Pick: Pantoja via decision
Welterweight Championship bout: Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington
The welterweight division has seen a changing of the guard in the last year or so. The longtime dominant champion, Kamaru Usman, has made the move to middleweight and it is now Leon Edwards who sits on the throne. Which means there are a whole lot of challengers who already took a shot at Usman and missed, who are looking to get another chance at capturing UFC gold.
Colby Covington is one of those former challengers who came up short against Usman. Perhaps the UFC’s most willing to embrace the villain role, Covington backs up his trash talk to the tune of a 17-3 record. He bounced back from his loss to Usman with a decision victory over Jorge Masvidal in March and is now poised once again to capture the crown. One of the toughest wrestlers in the sport, the gameplan will be clear for the challenger here: get this fight to the ground.
That won’t be easy to pull off though as Leon Edwards boasts a very nice 69% career takedown defense. Edwards stifled the once dominant Kamaru Usman, keeping their two recent meetings on the feet en route to back-to-back victories. With those two wins, Edwards is now riding an 11-fight winning streak which has brought his career record to 21-3 with seven knockouts. He’s one of the best pure strikers in the game and, while he doesn’t appear to be super flashy, he’s creative enough to keep his opponents wondering what’s coming next. Just ask Usman, whose ears are likely still ringing from the head kick he took from Edwards in their 2022 meeting. Edwards’ primary objective will be to stay off his back in this contest and if he can achieve that, he will likely be taking his championship back home with him.
My Pick: Edwards via decision
UFC 296 will be held Saturday, December 16 at 10 PM ET. ESPN+ subscribers can order the pay per view through for $79.99.