The UFC goes out with a bang for its final event of 2023 on Saturday as a loaded UFC 296 is scheduled to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, with the main card set to air on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on ESPN+.
The 43rd and final card of the year features two championship fights at the top of the bill. In the main event, Leon Edwards (20-3 MMA, 12-2 UFC) puts his welterweight title on the line against Colby Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC), while in the co-headliner, Alexandre Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) looks to defend flyweight gold for the first time in a rematch with Brandon Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC).
The rest of the card features a mix of contenders, familiar names and more with history inside the octagon. For more on the numbers, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC 296.
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Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington
Leon Edwards
Edwards is the only Jamaican-born champion in UFC history.
Edwards is one of two undisputed British titleholders in UFC history. Michael Bisping also accomplished the feat.
Edwards’ victory at the 4:04 mark of Round 5 at UFC 278 marked the fourth-latest stoppage in a UFC championship fight.
Edwards’ 12-fight UFC unbeaten streak at welterweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Edwards’ 12-fight UFC unbeaten streak is third-longest among active fighters in the company behind Jon Jones (19) and Islam Makhachev (13).
Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad at UFC Fight Night 187 is one of two main events in company history to end in a no contest due to a fouled fighter behind unable to continue.
Edwards’ eight-second knockout of Seth Baczynski at UFC Fight Night 64 is the third fastest in UFC welterweight history. Jorge Masvidal holds the record with his five-second finish of Ben Askren at UFC 239 this month.
Edwards’ victory at 4:59 of Round 3 at UFC Fight Night 127 is tied for the second latest knockout in a three-fight UFC fight behind Ricky Simon’s victory over Merab Dvalishvili at 5:00 of Round 3 at UFC Fight Night 129.
Colby Covington
Covington is one of three interim UFC welterweight champions in company history. Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit also accomplished the feat.
Covington attempted 541 total strikes against Robbie Lawler at UFC on ESPN 5, the second-most in a single UFC fight behind Max Holloway’s 746 attempts at UFC on ABC 1.
Covington attempted 515 significant strikes at UFC on ESPN 5, the single-fight UFC record, the second-most in a single UFC fight behind Holloway’s 744 attempts at UFC on ABC 1.
Covington’s 67 takedowns landed in UFC welterweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Georges St-Pierre (87).
Covington’s 12 takedowns landed at UFC on FOX 22 are tied for the second-most in a single UFC welterweight fight. Luigi Fioravanti holds the record with 13 at UFC 82.
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval
Alexandre Pantoja
Pantoja is one of five undisputed UFC flyweight champions.
Pantoja is one of four fighters in UFC history to force a title change by split decision when he won at UFC 290. Robbie Lawler, Henry Cejudo and Carla Esparza also accomplished the feat.
Pantoja’s 10 victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Demetrious Johnson (13) and Joseph Benavidez (13).
Pantoja’s four-fight UFC winning streak in flyweight competition is tied for the second-longest active streak in the division behind Muhammad Mokaev (five).
Pantoja’s six stoppage victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Deiveson Figueiredo (seven) and Johnson (seven).
Pantoja’s four submission victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for second-most in divisional history behind Johnson (five).
Pantoja’s five fight-night bonus for UFC flyweight bouts are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Johnson (nine) and Brandon Moreno (seven).
Brandon Royval
Royval has earned 13 of his 15 career victories by stoppage.
Royval has earned four of his five UFC victories by stoppage.
Royval’s three submission victories in UFC flyweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Johnson (five), Pantoja (four) and Mokaev (four).
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson
Shavkat Rakhmonov
Shavkat Rakhmonov’s (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) five-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is the second-longest active streak in the division behind Ian Machado Garry (six).
Rakhmonov has earned all 17 of his career victories by stoppage.
Rakhmonov’s five-fight UFC stoppage streak is tied with Benoit Saint-Denis for the longest among active fighters on the roster.
Rakhmonov is one of 14 fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from a spinning wheel kick. He accomplished the feat at UFC Fight Night 200.
Stephen Thompson
Stephen Thompson’s (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) 10 knockdowns landed in UFC welterweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Thiago Alves (13), Jake Ellenberger (11) and Matt Brown (11).
Thompson’s eight fight-night bonuses for UFC welterweight fights are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Chris Lytle (10) and Brown (nine).
Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett
Tony Ferguson
Tony Ferguson’s (25-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC) six-fight losing skid is the longest of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since June 2019.
Ferguson’s six-fight losing skid in UFC competition is tied for the second-longest in company history behind B.J. Penn (seven).
Ferguson’s 10 stoppage victories in UFC lightweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Miller (15), Charles Oliveira (14) and Joe Lauzon (13).
Ferguson’s three D’Arce-choke victories in UFC competition are the second-most in company history behind Vicente Luque (four).
Ferguson is one of five fighters in UFC history to win a title fight by triangle choke. He accomplished the feat against Kevin Lee at UFC 216.
Paddy Pimblett
Paddy Pimblett’s (20-3 3MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at lightweight is the third-longest longest active streak in the division behind Makhachev (12) and Saint-Denis (five).
Vicente Luque vs. Ian Machado Garry
Vicente Luque
Vicente Luque (22-9-1 MMA, 15-5 UFC) has earned 19 of his 22 career victories by stoppage. That includes 13 of his 15 UFC wins.
Luque’s 15 victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied for fifth-most in divisional history behind Neil Magny (21), St-Pierre (19), Brown (17) and Matt Hughes (16).
Luque’s 13 stoppage victories in UFC welterweight competition are second-most in divisional history behind Brown (15).
Luque’s eight knockout victories in UFC welterweight competition are tied with Alves and Li Jingliang for second-most in divisional history behind Brown (13).
Luque’s 10 knockdowns landed in UFC welterweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Alves (13), Brown (11) and Ellenberger (11)..
Luque’s four D’Arce choke submission victories in UFC competition are most in company history.
Luque’s eight fight-night bonuses for UFC welterweight bouts are tied for third-most in divisional history behind Lytle (10) and Brown (nine).
Ian Machado Garry
Ian Machado Garry’s (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) six-fight UFC winning streak at welterweight is the longest active streak in the division.
Garry is one of two welterweights in UFC history to start 6-0 with the promotion. Kamaru Usman also accomplished the feat.
Garry lands 56.7 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC welterweight competition, the second-highest rate in divisional history behind Gunnar Nelson (60.5 percent).
Garry lands 6.67 significant strikes per minute in UFC welterweight competition, the fourth-highest rate in divisional history behind Daniel Rodriguez (7.55) and Jack Della Maddalena (7.2) and Duane Ludwig (6.74).
Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell
Josh Emmett
Josh Emmett (18-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC) enters the event on the first losing skid of his career. He hasn’t earned a victory since June 2022.
Emmett is 7-3 since he dropped to the UFC featherweight division in October 2017.
Emmett’s 11 knockdowns landed in UFC featherweight competition are tied with Jeremy Stephens for most in divisional history.
Emmett’s four knockdowns of Felipe Arantes at UFC Fight Night 118 are tied for third-most in a UFC fight. Only Stephens (five) at UFC 215 and Forrest Petz (five) at UFC Fight Night 6 have scored more knockdowns in a fight.
Emmett is the only fighter in UFC history to land four knockdowns in a single round. He accomplished the feat against Arantes at UFC Fight Night 118.
Bryce Mitchell
Bryce Mitchell (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) has earned six of his seven UFC victories by decision.
Mitchell absorbs just 1.64 significant strikes per minute in UFC featherweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Rani Yahya (1.05) and Pat Sabatini (1.54).
Mitchell lands 59 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC featherweight competition, the highest rate in divisional history.
Mitchell is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a Twister submission victory. He accomplished the feat at UFC on ESPN 7. Chan Sung Jung and Da’Mon Blackshear also won with the technique.
Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa
Irene Aldana (14-7 MMA, 7-5 UFC) is one of three fighters in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from an upkick from bottom position. She accomplished the feat at UFC 279. Jon Fitch and Niko Price have also won with the technique.
Aldana is the only fighter in UFC history to earn a knockout stemming from an upkick to the body from bottom position. She accomplished the feat at UFC 279.
Aldana has landed 814 significant strikes in UFC women’s bantamweight competition, the second-most in divisional history behind Raquel Pennington (922).
Aldana has been awarded three fight-night bonuses for UFC women’s bantamweight bouts, tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Ronda Rousey (seven), Miesha Tate (five) and Amanda Nunes (four).
Karol Rosa (17-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) has earned all six of her UFC victories by decision.
Cody Garbrandt vs. Brian Kelleher
Cody Garbrandt (13-5 MMA, 8-5 UFC) is 2-5 in his past seven fights dating back to November 2017.
Garbrandt’s nine knockdowns landed in UFC bantamweight competition are tied for fourth-most in divisional history behind Petr Yan (10), Marlon Vera (10) and Montel Jackson (10).
Casey O'Neill vs. Ariane Lipski
Casey O'Neill (9-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) lands 55.8 percent of her significant strike attempts in UFC women’s flyweight competition, the second-best rate in divisional history behind Jessica Andrade (56.4 percent).
O’Neill lands 8.77 significant strikes per minute in UFC competition, the highest rate in company history.
Ariane Lipski (15-8 MMA, 4-5 UFC) has scored three knockdowns in UFC women’s flyweight competition, tied with Taila Santos and Molly McCann for most in divisional history.
Lipski defends 78.4 percent of opponent takedown attempts in UFC women’s flyweight competition, the second-highest ate in divisional history behind Santos (85.3 percent).
Alonzo Menifield vs. Dustin Jacoby
Alonzo Menifield (14-3-1 MMA, 7-3-1 UFC) has earned 13 of his 14 career victories by stoppage. That includes six of his seven UFC wins.
Menifield lands 58.6 percent of his significant strike attempts in UFC light heavyweight competition, the third-highest rate in divisional history behind Carlos Ulberg (60.3 percent) and Fabio Maldonado (60.2 percent).
Dustin Jacoby (19-7-1 MMA, 7-4-1 UFC) is 7-2-1 since he returned to the UFC for a second stint in October 2020.
Jacoby lands 6.48 significant strikes per minute in UFC light heavyweight competition, the third-best rate in divisional history behind Ulberg (7.4) and Jamahal Hill (6.99).
Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Cody Durden
Cody Durden’s (16-4-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at flyweight is tied for the second-longest for the longest active streak in the division behind Mokaev (five).
Durden has earned four of his five UFC victories by decision.
Andre Fili vs. Lucas Almeida
Andre Fili (22-10 MMA, 10-9 UFC) competes in his 21st UFC featherweight bout, the fourth-most appearances in divisional history behind Darren Elkins (26), Max Holloway (26) and Cub Swanson (22).
Fili has earned seven of his 10 UFC victories by decision.
Martin Buday vs. Shamil Gaziev
Martin Buday’s (13-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) four-fight UFC winning streak at heavyweight is tied with Jailton Almeida for the longest active streak in the division.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
UFC research analyst and live statistics producer Michael Carroll contributed to this story. Follow him on Twitter @MJCflipdascript.
