How to watch Edwards-Covington and Pantoja-Royval title fights, start time, fight card, odds and more

The UFC closes its year on Saturday in Las Vegas.

Here’s how to watch UFC 296 with the welterweight and flyweight titles on the line at the top of the card.

Broadcast and streaming information

UFC 296 has a main card starting at 10:00 PM ET on pay-per-view (via ESPN+). The four-fight prelim card airs on ESPN2 at 8:00 PM ET, and five early prelims air at 6:00 PM ET on ESPN+.

Main Event: Leon Edwards

It’s been about eight years since Leon Edwards (21-3 MMA, 13-2 UFC) last lost a fight. Since then, he is 11-0-1, including one of the most stunning upsets in MMA history by winning the welterweight title with a last-minute head kick KO of Kamaru Usman. He then defeated Usman in a rematch earlier this year, pitting him against Usman rival Colby Covington.

Main Event: Colby Covington

Eight years ago Tuesday, Colby Covington (17-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC) was submitted by Warlley Alves in less than 90 seconds at UFC 194. He then went on a seven-fight winning streak, including the interim welterweight title. Since that loss to Alves, Covington has suffered two setbacks – both against Kamaru Usman in his attempts to win the title. But Edwards now has the title and Covington will take a shot at him after beating bitter rival Jorge Masvidal more than 20 months ago.

Co-main event: Alexandre Pantoja

Alexandre Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) has won four fights in a row, including a submission over Brandon Royval just over two years ago. He followed that up with a submission of Alex Perez and then took a split decision of Brandon Moreno to win the title at UFC 290 in Las Vegas in July.

Co-main event: Brandon Royval

Brandon Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) gets his first flyweight title after a three-fight winning streak that followed a second-round submission loss to Pantoja in 2021 before Pantoja won the title. It was Royval’s second defeat in a row after a loss to Brandon Moreno, but he bounced back with wins over Rogerio Bontorin, Matt Schnell and Matheus Nicolau to record another victory over Pantoja.

Featured Fight: Rakhmonov vs. Thompson

Welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov (17-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) has been virtually untouchable in his career so far. All 17 of his wins have been by stoppage, with a nearly equal number of knockouts and eight submissions. In the UFC, he has submissions from Alex Oliveira, Michel Prazeres, Carlston Harris, Neil Magny and Geoff Neal, the last of which came in March.

Stephen Thompson (17-6-1 MMA, 12-6-1 UFC) got back into the win column a little over a year ago with a finish of Kevin Holland after four rounds when Holland couldn’t answer the bell. Before that, the two-time welterweight title challenger had back-to-back decision losses to Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad in 2021.

UFC debut: Shamil Gaziev

Shamil Gaziev (11-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a 33-year-old heavyweight from Dagestan, will make his official UFC debut after a first-round rear-naked choke during Dana White’s Contender Series in September canceled his ticket in promotion. Gaziev has won 10 of his 11 wins by stoppage, including seven knockouts.

UFC 296 main card betting odds

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10:00 PM ET)

• Champion Leon Edwards (-160) vs. Colby Covington (+135) – for welterweight title

• Champ Alexandre Pantoja (-185) vs. Brandon Royval (+155) – for flyweight title

• Shavkat Rakhmonov (-650) vs. Stephen Thompson (+450)

• Tony Ferguson (+260) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-330)

• Vicente Luque (+300) vs. Ian Machado Garry (-400)

UFC 296 prelim betting

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN2/ESPN+, 8:00 PM ET)

• Josh Emmett (+180) vs. Bryce Mitchell (-220)

• Irene Aldana (-220) vs. Karol Rosa (+180)

• Cody Garbrandt (-210) vs. Brian Kelleher (+175)

• Ariane Lipski (+170) vs. Casey O’Neill (-200)

UFC 296 early prelim betting odds

PRELIMINARY MAP (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

• Dustin Jacoby (-265) vs. Alonzo Menifield (+215)

• Cody Durden (+145) vs. Tagir Ulanbekov (-175)

• Lucas Almeida (+145) vs. Andre Fili (-175)

• Martin Buday (-160) vs. Shamil Gaziev (+135)

• Randy Brown (-270) vs. Muslim Salikhov (+220)

The story originally appeared on MMA Junkie