Dana White dropped major news for the year’s last UFC pay-per-view, UFC 296. The headline fight will showcase welterweight champ Leon Edwards defending his title against Colby Covington. And as if that weren’t enough, the co-main event will be a flyweight title fight between Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval. And now Dana White also spilled the beans on other fights, making UFC 296’s lineup rival the excitement of UFC 294 as it also has stacked cards.
UFC 296 Fight Card Revealed: Edwards vs. Covington and More Confirmed Bouts Await
UFC’s top man, Dana White, has officially given the green light for a showdown in the welterweight division. Colby Covington, with a 17-3 record, is set to challenge the reigning champion, Leon Edwards, in the headline event of UFC 296 on December 16, 2023. Covington’s return to the octagon follows his triumph over Jorge Masvidal in March 2022, set to unfold at the iconic T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In addition , the co-main event for UFC 296 is set to feature a flyweight title bout between Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval. Pantoja, the Brazilian victor in a nail-biting match against Mexican Brandon Moreno in July, will be defending his title for the first time. As if that wasn’t enough, another exciting bout has been confirmed with Wonderboy eagerly accepting the opportunity, adding more fuel to the already stacked card.
When UFC presented Stephen Thompson with the chance to square off against Shavkat Rakhmonov, he wasted no time in accepting the offer. The fighter promptly made his decision public, sharing the news via a post on social media, stating, “UFC offered and I’ve accepted,@Rakhmonov1994 let’s close out the year strong. Dec 16 can’t wait”
Stephen Thompson did accepted the UFC’s offer to face Shavkat Rakhmonov, a match-up that had been discussed before but hadn’t materialized. Thompson, currently holding the eighth rank, will finally lock horns with Rakhmonov, who stands fourth in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, boasting an impressive 5-0 record in the UFC.
In addition, the Tony Ferguson versus Paddy Pimblett fight has been confirmed. Pimblett is undefeated in the UFC, but his decision victory against Jared Gordon in December drew significant criticism. Since then, he’s been sidelined due to injury. On the other hand, Tony Ferguson is enduring a six-fight losing streak, the latest loss being against Bobby Green. This might be a mismatch but this has pulled major excitement as well.
Meanwhile, White just revealed the revamped fight card, featuring Irish sensation Ian Garry squaring off against the seasoned Vicente Luque.
Stories You Must Read:
- Alex Pereira vs Jiri Prochazka Set as Co-Main Event for UFC 295, Reveals Dana White
- UFC 296: Fighter Lineup Revealed for Leon Edwards vs Colby Covington Card – No McGregor
Edwards vs Covington Card Till Now Revealed
- Leon Edwards (Champion) vs Colby Covington – Welterweight Bout
- Alexandre Pantoja (Champion) vs Brandon Royval- Flyweight Bout
- Stephen Thompson vs Shavkat Rakhmonov – Welterweight Bout
- Tony Ferguson vs Paddy Pimblett – Lightweight Bout
- Ian Garry vs Vicente Luque – Welterweight Bout
Editors pick
