Leon Edwards vs Colby Covington to headline UFC 296

UFC CEO Dana White has made waves with the announcement of some highly-anticipated matchups set to headline the final two pay-per-view events of the year. White took to the UFC's social media platforms to share the details of these thrilling fights.

The co-main event for UFC 295, slated for November 11th at Madison Square Garden, is expected to be a barnburner. It will feature a showdown for the vacant light heavyweight title, with former 205-pound champion Jiri Prochazka squaring off against former UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira.

This vacant championship spot became available after Jamahal Hill relinquished the belt due to an Achilles injury sustained in July. Prochazka had previously let go of the belt as he required surgery, sidelining him for a year and a half.

The main event of UFC 295 promises to be equally thrilling, as Jon Jones defends his heavyweight title against Stipe Miocic, adding an extra layer of excitement to the already stacked card.

But the announcements didn't stop there. Dana White also revealed key details about UFC 296, scheduled for December 16th at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main event for this event will see welterweight champion Leon Edwards defending his title against the formidable Colby Covington.

This bout, a topic of discussion for several months, is now set to become a reality. Edwards last fought in March when he successfully defended his welterweight title against Kamaru Usman in a memorable trilogy bout. Dana White had made it clear that Colby Covington would be next in line for a title shot, despite his last fight dating back to March 2022, where he emerged victorious against Jorge Masvidal.

Additionally, Dana White unveiled the co-main event for UFC 296, featuring a showdown for the flyweight title. Alexandre Pantoja is gearing up to defend his championship belt for the first time in a highly-anticipated rematch against Brandon Royval. These two fighters previously clashed in August 2021, with Pantoja emerging victorious via a second-round submission.

After a wait spanning over two years, Dana White's announcement has confirmed that this rematch is set to captivate fight fans once again, making the year-end UFC events an absolute must-watch for MMA enthusiasts.

Which fight are you most excited to see? Comment and let us know. Follow fight.tv for all the latest news and updates from the world of combat sports.