The UFC wraps up its 2023 schedule with a pair of title fights at the top of the lineup in Las Vegas.
UFC 296 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN2 and early prelims on ESPN+.
(Click here to open a PDF of the staff picks grid in a separate window.)
Get pick results from our 11 editors, writers, radio hosts and videographers, as well as additional analysis, below.
Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell
Records: Emmett (18-4 MMA, 9-4 UFC), Mitchell (16-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC)
Division: Featherweight
Betting odds: Mitchell -220, Emmett +180
Junkie pick results: Emmett 8, Mitchell 3
Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett
Records: Ferguson (25-9 MMA, 15-7 UFC), Pimblett (20-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC)
Division: Lightweight
Betting odds: Pimblett -330, Ferguson +260
Junkie pick results: Pimblett 8, Ferguson 3
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson
Records: Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC), Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Betting odds: Rakhmonov -650, Thompson +450
Junkie pick results: Rakhmonov 11, Thompson 0
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval
Records: Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC), Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC)
Division: Flyweight
Betting odds: Pantoja -185, Royval +155
Junkie pick results: Pantoja 9, Royval 2
Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington
Records: Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC), Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC)
Division: Welterweight
Betting odds: Edwards -160, Covington +135
Junkie pick results: Edwards 7, Covington 4
Check out all the main card picks below.
UFC 296 main card picks
| Edwards vs. Covington |
Pantoja vs. Royval |
Rakhmonov vs. Thompson |
Ferguson vs. Pimblett |
Emmett vs. Mitchell |
|
|
MMA Junkie readers’ consensus picks 205-110 |
 Edwards (51%) |
 Pantoja (82%) |
 Rakhmonov (76%) |
 Pimblett (52%) |
 Mitchell (61%) |
|
Nolan King @mma_kings 204-111 |
Edwards |
Pantoja |
Rakhmonov |
Pimblett |
 Emmett |
|
George Garcia @MMAjunkieGeorge 200-115 |
 Covington |
 Royval |
Rakhmonov |
 Ferguson |
Emmett |
|
Mike Bohn @MikeBohn 199-116  |
Covington |
Pantoja |
Rakhmonov |
Pimblett |
Emmett |
|
Simon Samano @SJSamano 197-118 |
Edwards |
Royval |
Rakhmonov |
Ferguson |
Mitchell |
|
Ken Hathaway @1kenhathaway 197-118 |
Edwards |
Pantoja |
Rakhmonov |
Pimblett |
Mitchell |
|
Matthew Wells @MrMWells 192-123 |
Edwards |
Pantoja |
Rakhmonov |
Pimblett |
Emmett |
|
Farah Hannoun @Farah_Hannoun 188-127 |
Covington |
Pantoja |
Rakhmonov |
Pimblett |
Mitchell |
|
Brian Garcia @thegoze 188-127 |
Covington |
Pantoja |
Rakhmonov |
Pimblett |
Emmett |
|
Matt Erickson @MattE 186-129 |
Edwards |
Pantoja |
Rakhmonov |
Pimblett |
Emmett |
|
Danny Segura @dannyseguratv 181-129 |
Edwards |
Pantoja |
Rakhmonov |
Pimblett |
Emmett |
|
Abbey Subhan @kammakaze 180-130 |
Edwards |
Pantoja |
Rakhmonov |
Ferguson |
Emmett |
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.
