It's the final UFC card of the year -- let alone the final UFC pay-per-view of the year -- and the promotion intends to go out with a bang with UFC 296, live from Las Vegas.
In the main event, we have a highly heated matchup for the UFC welterweight championship that sees Leon Edwards defend against Colby Covington.
Edwards enters this fight on a 12-fight unbeaten streak, having not lost since a December 2015 fight with Kamaru Usman. Edwards won the championship with his spectacular, last-round comeback knockout of Usman at UFC 278 before defeating him in their trilogy bout at UFC 286 in March.
This marks Covington's first fight in nearly two years, with his last fight coming in March 2022, when he defeated Jorge Masvidal in the main event of UFC 272. Covington had two welterweight title shots when Usman was champion, coming up short in both fights at UFC 245 and UFC 268.
The UFC 296 co-main event will also see gold on the line, as Alexandre Pantoja makes his first defense of the UFC flyweight championship when he takes on Brandon Royval. This will be a rematch of their August 2021 encounter, which Pantoja won via second-round rear-naked choke.
Pantoja has won four straight and claimed the UFC flyweight title with a split decision win over Brandon Moreno at UFC 290. Since the loss to Pantoja, meanwhile, Royval has won three straight, most recently knocking out Matheus Nicolau at UFC Kansas City in April.
This story will be updated live throughout the night.
UFC 296 live highlights [Updated]
Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington
Leon Edwards defeated Colby Covington via unanimous decision (49-46 x3)
25 minutes in the books!
β UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
STRONG showing for the champ. Decision on the way #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/SFAfzqdfua
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval
Alexandre Pantoja defeated Brandon Royval via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
25 minutes in the books!
β UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
Pantoja and Royval go the distance as we head to the judges' scorecards #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/EohKPQ7jX8
Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson
Shavkat Rakhmonov defeated Stephen Thompson via submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2 - 4:56
18-0 FOR SHAVKAT!!
β UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
π°πΏ@Rakhmonov1994 gets the tap from Wonderboy and keeps his perfect finish rate intact π₯ #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/2G9H3UZA33
Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett
Paddy Pimblett defeated Tony Ferguson via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
15 minutes in the books!
β UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
Pimblett and Ferguson are headed to the judges' scorecards at #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/W6KpqVGmSV
Josh Emmett vs. Bryce Mitchell
Josh Emmett defeated Bryce Mitchell via KO, Round 1 - 1:57
JOSH EMMETT PUTS BRYCE MITCHELL TO SLEEP π±π±π± #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/bqdkSZSzw7
β UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
Alonzo Menifield vs. Dustin Jacoby
Alonzo Menifield def. Dustin Jacoby via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Don't blink! Round 3 up next π #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/nwaPXDvZDR
β UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa
Irene Aldana defeated Karol Rosa via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Back in the win column for @IreneAldana_!
β UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
She takes the unanimous decision over Karol Rosa at #UFC296 pic.twitter.com/QsPVbUp5KX
Cody Garbrandt vs. Brian Kelleher
CODY GARBRANDT KNOCKS OUT BRIAN KELLEHER π±@Cody_NoLove gets the first round finish at #UFC296! pic.twitter.com/yx3KipGWgt
β UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
Casey O'Neill vs. Ariane Lipski
Ariane Lipski defeated Casey O'Neill via submission (armbar), Round 2 - 1:18
THE QUEEN OF VIOLENCE DOES IT AGAIN @Ariane_lipski gets the tap and her third win in a row at #UFC296! pic.twitter.com/KPhgUXHBPb
β UFC (@ufc) December 17, 2023
Tagir Ulanbekov vs. Cody Durden
Tagir Ulanbekov defeated Cody Durden via submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2 - 4:25
Tagir Ulanbekov put on the clamps π
β ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 17, 2023
Stream #UFC296 on ESPN2 and ESPN+ πΏ https://t.co/R7p1InbYK6 pic.twitter.com/AxT0xPKLDj
Andre Fili vs. Lucas Almeida
Andre Fili defeated Lucas Almeida via TKO, Round 1 - 3:32
ANDRE FILI WITH A NASTY RIGHT HAND π₯
β ESPN MMA (@espnmma) December 17, 2023
Stream #UFC296 on ESPN2 and ESPN+ πΏ https://t.co/R7p1InbYK6 pic.twitter.com/jBpJQ5U5Sl
Martin Buday vs. Shamil Gaziev
Shamil Gaziev defeated Martin Buday via TKO, Round 2 - 0:56
Two rounds is all it took!
β UFC (@ufc) December 16, 2023
Shamil Gaziev gets the stoppage in our first fight of the night at #UFC296! pic.twitter.com/FC34vfvta0