UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington
The poster for UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington
Information
PromotionUltimate Fighting Championship
DateDecember 16, 2023 (2023-12-16)
VenueT-Mobile Arena
CityParadise, Nevada, United States
Attendance19,039[1]
Total gate$9,300,000[1]
Event chronology
UFC Fight Night: Song vs. Gutiérrez UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington UFC Fight Night: Ankalaev vs. Walker 2

UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on December 16, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.[2]

Background

A UFC Welterweight Championship bout between current champion Leon Edwards and former interim champion Colby Covington headlined the event.[3] Belal Muhammad served as backup and potential replacement for this fight.[4]

A UFC Flyweight Championship bout between current champion Alexandre Pantoja and former LFA Flyweight Champion Brandon Royval took place at the event.[3] The pair previously met at UFC on ESPN: Cannonier vs. Gastelum in August 2021 which Pantoja won by second-round submission.[5] Former two-time champion Brandon Moreno served as backup and potential replacement for this fight.[6]

A featherweight bout between former interim UFC Featherweight Championship challenger Josh Emmett and Giga Chikadze was expected to take place at this event.[7] However, Chikadze withdrew due to a torn groin and was replaced by Bryce Mitchell.[8][9]

A welterweight bout between Ian Machado Garry and Vicente Luque was expected to take place at the event.[10] However, the bout was scrapped after Garry withdrew due to contracting pneumonia the week of the event.[11]

A welterweight bout between Randy Brown and Muslim Salikhov was expected to take place at the event but was scrapped after Brown withdrew due to illness.[12]

Strickland-Du Plessis brawl

UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland and challenger Dricus du Plessis were in attendance at the event, seated within two rows of each-other by Dana White's arrangement.[13] While exchanging words, Strickland gestured for audience members to move and attacked Du Plessis. The brawl was quickly broken up and Strickland was escorted out of the event.[14][15] The two will face off at UFC 297.

Results

Main card
Weight class Method Round Time Notes
Welterweight Leon Edwards (c) def. Colby Covington Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 49–46) 5 5:00 [lower-alpha 1]
Flyweight Alexandre Pantoja (c) def. Brandon Royval Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 50–45, 49–46) 5 5:00 [lower-alpha 2]
Welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Stephen Thompson Submission (rear-naked choke) 2 4:56
Lightweight Paddy Pimblett def. Tony Ferguson Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) 3 5:00
Featherweight Josh Emmett def. Bryce Mitchell KO (punch) 1 1:57
Preliminary card (ESPN2 / ESPN+)
Light Heavyweight Alonzo Menifield def. Dustin Jacoby Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Women's Bantamweight Irene Aldana def. Karol Rosa Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) 3 5:00
Bantamweight Cody Garbrandt def. Brian Kelleher KO (punch) 1 3:42
Women's Flyweight Ariane Lipski def. Casey O'Neill Submission (armbar) 2 1:18
Early preliminary card (ESPN+ / UFC Fight Pass)
Flyweight Tagir Ulanbekov def. Cody Durden Submission (face crank) 2 4:25
Featherweight Andre Fili def. Lucas Almeida TKO (punches) 1 3:32
Heavyweight Shamil Gaziev def. Martin Buday TKO (punches) 2 0:56
  1. ↑ For the UFC Welterweight Championship.
  2. ↑ For the UFC Flyweight Championship.

[16]

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[17]

  • Fight of the Night: Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa
  • Performance of the Night: Josh Emmett, Ariane Lipski, and Shamil Gaziev

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Mike Bohn (2023-12-17). "UFC 296 post-event facts: Colby Covington joins rare company with 0-3 title fight record". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  2. ↑ Andrew Richardson (2023-06-02). "Midnight Mania! UFC requests licenses for four more events in the UFC Apex". mmamania.com. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  3. 1 2 Mike Bohn (2023-09-20). "Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington booked for UFC 296; Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval 2 also added". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  4. ↑ Mike Bohn and Farah Hannoun (2023-12-10). "Belal Muhammad confirms role as UFC 296 backup fighter for Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  5. ↑ Jay Anderson (2021-08-21). "UFC Vegas 34 results: Alexandre Pantoja subs game Brandon Royval". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 2021-08-22.
  6. ↑ Mike Bohn (2023-12-06). "Brandon Moreno set as UFC 296 backup fighter for Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  7. ↑ Mike Bohn (2023-10-18). "Giga Chikadze vs. Josh Emmett added to loaded UFC 296 lineup". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  8. ↑ Simon Samano and Farah Hannoun (2023-12-04). "Giga Chikadze injured, out of UFC 296 fight vs. Josh Emmett". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  9. ↑ Nolan King (2023-12-06). "Bryce Mitchell steps into UFC 296 vs. Josh Emmett on short notice". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-12-06.
  10. ↑ News Desk (2023-09-24). "Vicente Luque vs Ian Machado Garry Announced for UFC 296 PPV". itnwwe.com. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  11. ↑ Damon Martin (2023-12-13). "Ian Machado Garry vs. Vicente Luque scrapped from UFC 296". mmafighting.com. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  12. ↑ Danny Segura (2023-12-14). "UFC 296 loses second fight in less than 24 hours after scratched prelim". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 2023-12-14.
  13. ↑ Martin, Damon (2023-12-17). "Dana White blames himself for Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis brawl at UFC 296: 'This assh***' sat them next to each other'". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  14. ↑ Canadian Press (December 16, 2023). "Toronto main event fighters Strickland, du Plessis fight in crowd at UFC 296". Sportsnet.ca. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  15. ↑ Mackenzie, Alasdair (December 17, 2023). "UFC 296: Sean Strickland attacks Dricus Du Plessis in the middle of shocked Vegas crowd - 'Out of his mind'". eurosport.com. Retrieved 2023-12-18.
  16. ↑ "UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington". Ultimate Fighting Championship. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  17. ↑ Chris Taylor (2023-12-16). "UFC 296 Bonus Report: Irene Aldana and Karol Rosa earn 'FOTN' honors". bjpenn.com. Retrieved 2023-12-16.
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