UFC 296 explained

UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington
Promotion:Ultimate Fighting Championship
Venue:T-Mobile Arena
City:Paradise, Nevada, United States
Attendance:19,039[1]
Gate:$9,300,000

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 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] Despite the altercation, du Plessis pressed no charges.[16]

Results

[17]

Bonus awards

The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.[18]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Bohn . Mike . December 17, 2023 . UFC 296 post-event facts: Colby Covington joins rare company with 0-3 title fight record . December 17, 2023 . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . December 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231218014232/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-296-post-event-facts-colby-covington-title-fight-losses-tony-ferguson-longest-skid . live .
  2. Web site: Richardson . Andrew . June 2, 2023 . Midnight Mania! UFC requests licenses for four more events in the UFC Apex . September 20, 2023 . mmamania.com . June 28, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230628132859/https://www.mmamania.com/2023/6/2/23746287/midnight-mania-ufc-requests-licenses-four-more-events-ufc-apex-las-vegas-espn-mma . live .
  3. Web site: Bohn . Mike . September 20, 2023 . Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington booked for UFC 296; Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval 2 also added . September 20, 2023 . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . September 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230921143601/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/09/ufc-296-leon-edwards-vs-colby-covington-alexandre-pantoja-brandon-royval . live .
  4. Web site: Bohn . Mike . Hannoun . Farah . December 10, 2023 . Belal Muhammad confirms role as UFC 296 backup fighter for Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington . December 10, 2023 . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . December 10, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231210175424/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/12/ufc-296-belal-muhammad-confirms-role-as-backup-fighter-leon-edwards-vs-colby-covington-title . live .
  5. Web site: Anderson . Jay . August 21, 2021 . UFC Vegas 34 results: Alexandre Pantoja subs game Brandon Royval . August 22, 2021 . cagesidepress.com . August 22, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210822023506/https://cagesidepress.com/2021/08/21/ufc-vegas-34-results-alexandre-pantoja-vs-brandon-royval/ . live .
  6. Web site: Bohn . Mike . December 6, 2023 . Brandon Moreno set as UFC 296 backup fighter for Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval . December 6, 2023 . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . December 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207132209/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/12/ufc-296-brandon-moreno-set-backup-fighter-alexandre-pantoja-vs-brandon-royval-flyweight-title . live .
  7. Web site: Bohn . Mike . October 18, 2023 . Giga Chikadze vs. Josh Emmett added to loaded UFC 296 lineup . December 6, 2023 . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . October 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231029022454/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/10/ufc-296-giga-chikadze-vs-josh-emmett-booked . live .
  8. Web site: Samano . Simon . Hannoun . Farah . December 4, 2023 . Giga Chikadze injured, out of UFC 296 fight vs. Josh Emmett . December 4, 2023 . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . December 5, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231205000725/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/12/ufc-296-giga-chikadze-injured-out-vs-josh-emmett . live .
  9. Web site: King . Nolan . December 6, 2023 . Bryce Mitchell steps into UFC 296 vs. Josh Emmett on short notice . December 6, 2023 . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . December 7, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231207131619/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/12/ufc-296-bryce-mitchell-vs-josh-emmett-giga-chikadze . live .
  10. Web site: September 24, 2023 . Vicente Luque vs Ian Machado Garry Announced for UFC 296 PPV . December 13, 2023 . itnwwe.com . December 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231214043000/https://www.itnwwe.com/mma/vicente-luque-vs-ian-machado-garry-announced-ufc-296/ . live .
  11. Web site: Martin . Damon . December 13, 2023 . Ian Machado Garry vs. Vicente Luque scrapped from UFC 296 . December 13, 2023 . mmafighting.com . December 14, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231214043000/https://www.mmafighting.com/platform/amp/2023/12/13/24000883/ian-machado-garry-vs-vicente-luque-scrapped-from-ufc-296 . live .
  12. Web site: Segura . Danny . December 14, 2023 . UFC 296 loses second fight in less than 24 hours after scratched prelim . December 14, 2023 . mmajunkie.usatoday.com . December 15, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231215011640/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/12/ufc-296-loses-second-fight-in-less-than-24-hours-after-scratched-prelim . live .
  13. Web site: Martin . Damon . December 17, 2023 . Dana White blames himself for Sean Strickland vs. Dricus du Plessis brawl at UFC 296: 'This assh***' sat them next to each other' . December 18, 2023 . MMA Fighting . en . December 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231218023101/https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/12/17/24004758/dana-white-blames-himself-sean-strickland-dricus-du-plessis-brawl-ufc-296-assh-them-next-each-other . live .
  14. Web site: December 16, 2023 . Toronto main event fighters Strickland, du Plessis fight in crowd at UFC 296 . December 18, 2023 . Sportsnet.ca . en . December 18, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231218023101/https://www.sportsnet.ca/ufc/sean-strickland-dricus-du-plessis-brawl-in-crowd-at-ufc-296/ . live .
  15. Web site: Mackenzie . Alasdair . December 17, 2023 . UFC 296: Sean Strickland attacks Dricus du Plessis in the middle of shocked Vegas crowd - 'Out of his mind' . December 18, 2023 . eurosport.com . December 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231217094706/https://www.eurosport.com/mixed-martial-arts/ufc/2023/ufc-296-sean-strickland-attacks-dricus-du-plessis-in-the-middle-of-shocked-vegas-crowd-out-of-his-mi_sto9926262/story.shtml . live .
  16. Web site: King . Nolan . Bohn . Mike . January 11, 2024 . Dricus du Plessis never considered pressing charges against Sean Strickland: 'I would even take the blame' . January 18, 2024 . MMA Junkie . en-US . January 18, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240118072335/https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2024/01/ufc-297-video-dricus-du-plessis-vs-sean-strickland-brawl-charges . live .
  17. Web site: UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington . September 20, 2023 . . October 12, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231012103247/https://www.ufc.com/event/ufc-296 . live .
  18. Web site: Taylor . Chris . December 16, 2023 . UFC 296 Bonus Report: Irene Aldana and Karol Rosa earn 'FOTN' honors . December 16, 2023 . bjpenn.com . December 17, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231217065327/https://www.bjpenn.com/mma-news/ufc-296/ufc-296-bonus-report-irene-aldana-and-karol-rosa-earn-fotn-honors/ . live .