Las Vegas is the place to be when Leon Edwards defends the UFC welterweight title against Colby Covington at UFC 296 on Saturday night.
Covington returns after last fighting in March 2022. The former interim UFC welterweight champion is 0-2 in championship fights and 2-2 in his previous four contests.
“Chaos” still utilizes a controversial persona, and the wrestler told The Sporting News that when he wins, former President Donald Trump will present him with the welterweight title.
Edwards has been unbeaten since 2016, the only blip on his resume being a no-contest against Belal Muhammad. The English fighter beat Kamaru Usman, Covington’s former rival, twice to win and retain the UFC welterweight title. Regardless of the insults coming his way, it will be their fists doing the talking on fight night.
“A character is just a character, but the way he competes is just the way he is,” Edwards told the UFC. “When the doors are closed, it’s just me and him. Trump can’t save him. Nobody can save him. It’s going to be a good fight.”
WATCH: UFC 296: Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington, exclusively on ESPN+
The co-main event sees Alexandre Pantoja defend the UFC flyweight title in a rematch against Brandon Royval. Pantoja beat Royval in 2021 via submission. Royval has won three in a row since the loss.
The Sporting News will provide results form the full fight card below.
UFC 296 full card results
Main card
- Leon Edwards (c) vs. Colby Covington for the UFC welterweight title
- Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Brandon Royval 2 for the UFC flyweight title
- Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson; Welterweights
- Paddy Pimblett def. Tony Ferguson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Josh Emmet def. Bryce Mitchell via KO (1:57 into round one)
Prelims
- Alonzo Menifield def. Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Irene Aldana def. Karol Rosa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Cody Garbrandt def. Brian Kelleher via KO (3:42 into round one)
- Ariane Lipski def. Casey O’Neill via armbar (1:18 into round two)
Early Prelims
- Tagir Ulanbekov def. Cody Durden via rear-naked choke (4:25 into round two)
- Andre Fili def. Lucas Almeida via TKO (3:32 into round one)
- Shamil Gaziev def. Martin Buday via TKO (0:56 into round two)
MORE: How to bet on UFC 296 fight card
When is UFC 296: Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington?
The early prelims start at 6 p.m. ET, with the prelims at 8 p.m. ET. The main card is at 10 p.m. ET. Edwards and Covington should make their way to the octagon around 12:15 a.m. ET, depending on how long the undercard fights last.
| Region | Date | Early Prelims Start Time | Prelims Start Time | Main Card Start Time | Main Event Ring Walks (approx.) |
| USA and Canada (ET) | Saturday, December 16 | 6 p.m. ET | 8 p.m. ET | 10 p.m. ET | 12:15 a.m. ET |
| USA and Canada (PT) | Saturday, December 16 | 3 p.m. PT | 5 p.m. PT | 7 p.m. PT | 9:15 p.m. PT |
| UK and Ireland | Sunday, December 17 | 11 p.m. GMT | 1 a.m. GMT | 3 a.m. GMT | 5:15 a.m. GMT |
| Australia | Sunday, December 17 | 10 a.m. AEDT | 12 p.m. AEDT | 2 p.m. AEDT | 4:15 p.m. AEDT |
How to watch UFC 296: Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington
| Country | Date | Channel + Live Stream (main card) |
| United States | Saturday, December 16 | ESPN+, ESPN PPV |
| Canada | Saturday, December 16 | BELL, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus, Eastlink, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
| United Kingdom | Sunday, December 17 | TNT Sports, TNT Sports Box Office |
| Australia | Sunday, December 17 | Main Event, Kayo Sports, Fetch TV, UFC PPV on UFC Fight Pass |
Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington PPV price: How much does UFC 296 cost?
In the U.S., the UFC 296 main card is available via pay-per-view on ESPN+, which also requires a subscription. The PPV price for UFC 296 is $ 79.99 for current subscribers. New subscribers can pay a bundle price of $ 134.98 for the UFC 296 pay-per-view and an ESPN+ annual subscription, which offers savings of more than 30 percent.
In the UK, the main card is on TNT Sports Box Office and will cost £19.99.
Click here to learn about the different pricing and bundling options with the ESPN+ platform.
| Product | Prices |
|---|---|
| ESPN+ Monthly Subscription | $ 10.99/mo |
| ESPN+ Annual Subscription | $ 109.99/yr |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu Ad-Supported | $ 14.99/mo |
| The Disney Bundle w/Hulu No-Ads | $ 24.99/mo |
| UFC PPV Standalone | $ 79.99 each |
| UFC PPV Package (UFC PPV & ESPN+ Annual) | $ 134.98, then $ 109.99/year |
| UFC PPV & The Disney Bundle |
$ 79.99, then $ 14.99/mo |
