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UFC 296: Make your predictions for Edwards vs. Covington, Pantoja vs. Royval title fights (Updated)

Matt Erickson
·5 min read
2

(Updated Dec. 13, 2023, for removal of Vicente Luque vs. Ian Machado Garry.)

We want your predictions for UFC 296 in Las Vegas.

Our staff picks feature includes the consensus picks from MMA Junkie readers. Simply cast your vote for each bout below, and we’ll use the official tallies that are registered by Thursday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT).

Those MMA Junkie reader consensus picks will be part of the UFC 296 main card staff predictions we release Friday ahead of the event. UFC 296 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on ESPN+.

Make your picks for the fights below.

Randy Brown vs. Muslim Salikhov

Records: Brown (17-5 MMA, 11-5 UFC), Salikhov (19-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC)
Past five: Brown 4-1, Salikhov 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Brown -270, Salikhov +220

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-randy-brown-vs-musli” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Martin Buday vs. Shamil Gaziev

Records: Buday (13-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC), Gaziev (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC)
Past five: Buday 5-0, Gaziev 5-0
Division: Heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Buday -160, Shail Gaziev +135

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-martin-buday-vs-sham” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Lucas Almeida vs. Andre Fili

Records: Almeida (14-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC), Fili (22-10 MMA, 10-9 UFC)
Past five: Almeida 3-2, Andre Fili 2-3
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Fili -175, Almeida +145

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-lucas-almeida-vs-and” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Cody Durden vs. Tagir Ulanbekov

Records: Durden (16-4-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC), Ulanbekov (14-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC)
Past five: Durden 4-1, Ulanbekov 4-1
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Durden honorable mention
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Ulanbekov -175, Durden +145

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-cody-durden-vs-tagir” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Dustin Jacoby vs. Alonzo Menifield

Records: Jacoby (19-7-1 MMA, 7-4-1 UFC), Menifield (14-3-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC)
Past five: Jacoby 3-2, Menifield 3-1-1
Division: Light heavyweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Jacoby -265, Menifield +215

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-dustin-jacoby-vs-alo” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Ariane Lipski vs. Casey O'Neill

Records: Lipski (16-8 MMA, 5-5 UFC), O’Neill (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC)
Past five: Lipski 3-2, O’Neill 4-1
Division: Women’s flyweight
Rankings: O’Neill No. 12
Odds (as of 12.12.23): O’Neill -200, Lipski +170

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-ariane-lipski-vs-cas” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Cody Garbrandt vs. Brian Kelleher

Records: Garbrandt (13-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC), Kelleher (24-14 MMA, 8-7 UFC)
Past five: Garbrandt 2-3, Kelleher 2-3
Division: Bantamweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Garbrandt -210, Kelleher +175

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-cody-garbrandt-vs-br” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa

Records: Aldana (14-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC), Rosa (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Past five: Aldana 3-2, Rosa 3-2
Division: Women’s bantamweight
Rankings: Aldana No. 6, Rosa No. 10
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Aldana -220, Rosa +180

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-irene-aldana-vs-karo” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell

Records: Emmett (18-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC), Mitchell (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC)
Past five: Emmett 3-2, Mitchell 4-1
Division: Featherweight
Rankings: Emmett No. 7, Mitchell No. 10
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Mitchell -220, Emmett +180

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-josh-emmett-vs-bryce” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett

Records: Ferguson (25-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC), Pimblett (20-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Past five: Ferguson 0-5, Pimblett 5-0
Division: Lightweight
Rankings: None
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Pimblett -330, Ferguson +260

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-tony-ferguson-vs-pad” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson

Records: Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC)
Past five: Rakhmonov 5-0, Thompson 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Thompson No. 7, Rakhmonov No. 8
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Rakhmonov -650, Thompson +450

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-shavkat-rakhmonov-vs” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval

Records: Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC), Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
Past five: Pantoja 4-1, Royval 3-2
Division: Flyweight
Rankings: Pantoja No. 2, honorable mention pound-for-pound; Royval No. 6
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Pantoja -185, Royval +155

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-alexandre-pantoja-vs-FaFv” customer=”mmajunkie”>

Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington

Records: Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC), Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC)
Past five: Edwards 5-0, Covington 3-2
Division: Welterweight
Rankings: Edwards No. 1, No. 5 pound-for-pound; Covington No. 4
Odds (as of 12.12.23): Edwards -160, Covington +135

[opinary poll=”whats-your-pick-for-leon-edwards-vs-colb” customer=”mmajunkie”>

UFC 296 fight card (as of Dec. 13, 11 p.m. ET)

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

  • Champ Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington – for welterweight title

  • Champ Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval – for flyweight title

  • Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson

  • Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett

  • Vicente Luque vs. TBA

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2, 8 p.m. ET)

  • Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell

  • Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa

  • Cody Garbrandt vs. Brian Kelleher

  • Ariane Lipski vs. Casey O’Neill

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

  • Dustin Jacoby vs. Alonzo Menifield

  • Cody Durden vs. Tagir Ulanbekov

  • Lucas Almeida vs. Andre Fili

  • Martin Buday vs. Shamil Gaziev

  • Randy Brown vs. Muslim Salikhov

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

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie