UFC 296 Odds: Colby Covington vs. Leon Edwards Pick

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UFC 296 Odds with Leon Edwards and Colby Covington in ring

The UFC 296 odds feature two title fights for the December PPV. There are five fights total on the main card, with the gold on the line in the main and co-main events.

UFC betting sites already have odds for the event, even though it is weeks away. Betting early allows you to lock in value on your chosen fighters. It also allows you to bet before the public sways the odds.

Keep reading to see the latest betting odds for UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington. I will break the odds for every fight on the main card, including the title fight pitting Colby Covington vs. Leon Edwards.

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UFC 296 Odds

MMA betting sites like BetOnline Sportsbook are loaded with betting odds for this UFC event. The latest UFC 296 odds have Leon Edwards (-130) a slight favorite to retain his title. The challenger, Colby Covington, is listed at +110 to win the belt.

Other odds for the UFC 296 main card include the following:

Favorite Underdog Weight Class
Alexandre Pantoja (c) (-220) Brandon Royval Flyweight
Shavkat Rakhmonov (-550) Stephen Thompson Welterweight
Paddy Pimblett (-250) Tony Ferguson (+210) Lightweight
Ian Machado Garry (-235) Vicente Luque (+200) Welterweight

In addition to betting on the winners of these exciting fights. You can also place prop bets on different aspects of each fight. For instance, you can wager on the total number of rounds, the method of victory, and more.

Where is UFC 296?

Colby Covington vs. Leon Edwards will be the main event of the final UFC event of the year. There is no more fitting place for the event than the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Located on the Las Vegas Strip, this arena has hosted some of the biggest fights in UFC history.

Some of the biggest UFC events in recent years at this arena include:

  • UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3
  • UFC 239: Jones vs. Santos
  • UFC 229: Khabib vs. McGregor
  • UFC 226: Miocic vs. Cormier
  • UFC 207: Nunes vs. Rousey

Leon Edwards has never competed at T-Mobile Arena during his UFC career. Colby Covington, on the other hand, has plenty of experience in this arena in recent years.

Covington last fought against Jorge Masvidal at UFC 272, which took place at T-Mobile Arena. He won that fight via decision and won Fight of the Night honors. Covington also won at UFC 202 against Max Griffin in this arena.

However, Covington lost what was arguably the biggest fight of his career in the same building. He was TKO’d by Kamara Usman when the two competed for the UFC Welterweight title. Covington entered the fight as the interim champ but could not take the undisputed belt from Usman.

UFC 296 Fight Card

The UFC 296 main card is headlined by the Welterweight title fight between Edwards and Covington. Their fight for the Welterweight crown will cap off an exciting 2023 in the UFC.

Before the two square off, there are four other fights scheduled for the UFC 296 main card, including:

  • Alexandre Pantoja (c) vs. Brandon Royval
  • Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson
  • Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett
  • Vicente Luque vs. Ian Machado Garry

Flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja will put his title on the line against Brandon Royval in the co-main event.

Shavkat Rakhmonov vs. Stephen Thompson, Tony Ferguson vs. Paddy Pimblett, and Vicente Luque vs. Ian Machado Garry are also scheduled for the main card.

Alexandre Pantoja (c) (-220) vs. Brandon Royval (+170)

Alexandre Pantoja won the UFC Flyweight belt at UFC 290 in July. He defeated Brandon Moreno via split decision to become the new Flyweight king.

Pantoja’s first defense will not be against the former champion. Instead, he will take on Brandon Royval in a rematch of their fight from August 2021. Pantoja won the first fight with a rear naked choke in the second round.

BetOnline has Pantoja (-220) as a moderate favorite in this Flyweight title match. The champ is at a significant size disadvantage, but that has not held him back so far in his career.  In addition to beating Royval in their first matchup, Pantoja has also beaten Moreno, who defeated Royval when they met at UFC 255.

Those were Royval’s last two losses, and they happened in back-to-back fights. He has been on a three-fight winning streak since. However, I think that streak will end at UFC 296 when Pantoja beats him again.

Prediction:

Alexandre Pantoja (c) (-220)

Shavkat Rakhmonov (-550) vs. Stephen Thompson (+385)

The undefeated Shavkat Rakhmonov (17-0) will look to continue his rise up the Welterweight rankings. He is currently ranked fifth and will take on the sixth-ranked Stephen Thompson this weekend. Rakhmonov is listed as a -550 favorite for this matchup.

Thompson is a UFC legend with a unique fighting style, but he is past his prime. He is just 1-2 in his last three fights and 4-5 in his last nine. Rakhmonov, on the other hand, has finished all 17 of his opponents as a professional. I believe that Rakhmonov will win and add to his finishing streak.

Prediction:

Shavkat Rakhmonov (-550)

Tony Ferguson ( +210) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-250)

Another legend stepping into the Octagon this weekend is Tony Ferguson. Once one of the most feared Lightweights in MMA, El Cucuy has lost six straight fights. He is a +210 underdog as he takes on Paddy Pimblett (-250).

Pimblett (20-3) is one of the UFC’s fastest-rising stars. Like Rakhmonov, a win over a legend like Ferguson should help Pimblett move up the rankings. Pimblett will win and extend his current winning streak to seven fights in a row.

Prediction:

Paddy Pimblett (-250)

Vicente Luque (+200) vs. Ian Machado Garry (-235)

Vicente Luque (+200) and the undefeated Ian Machado Garry (-235) will also square off at this event. Garry (13-0) is currently ranked 10th in the Welterweight rankings but would likely move up with a win over the seventh-ranked Luque.

Luque has been slumping lately, losing two of his last three fights. I think Luque’s bad luck will continue against Garry, who has seven KO wins in his career. Garry will win and put his name on the shortlist of future Welterweight title contenders.

Prediction:

Ian Machado Garry (-235)

Colby Covington vs. Leon Edwards Odds

  • Colby Covington (+110)
  • Leon Edwards (-130)

The main event for UFC 296 features Colby Covington taking on Leon Edwards for the Welterweight title. Covington has not competed since March 2022 but was still tapped for this fight over other, arguably more deserving, contenders.

Real money sportsbooks have Edwards (-130) favored to win this bout.

Colby Covington (+110)

A few years ago, Covington appeared to be set for a bright future in the UFC. He was controversial, but no one could stop him in the Octagon. Covington also made friends with UFC President Dana White, putting his career on the fast track.

Now, Covington has taken a step back. He is just 3-2 in his last five fights, with both losses coming against then-Welterweight champ Kamaru Usman. His three wins during that span were against legends who were close to retirement, including Robbie Lawler, Tyron Woodley, and Jorge Masvidal.

The inactivity makes it hard to predict how Covington will look in this event. Edwards is also in his prime, unlike many of the people Covington has been able to defeat lately.

Leon Edwards (-130)

The UFC Welterweight champion won the title in spectacular fashion at UFC 278. His head kick knockout ended Usman’s dominant reign atop the division. Edwards won the rematch at UFC 286 via majority decision.

Now Edwards will look for his second successful defense as he takes on Covington. He has won 11 straight fights, with the only blemish during that stretch a no contest vs Belal Muhammad. The last fighter to defeat Edwards was Usman back in 2015.

Edwards is a well-rounded fighter, with seven KOs and three submission wins in his career. He is also 10-2 in fights that go the distance. Assuming his cardio holds up, Edwards should be able to win this fight on the feet, on the ground, or via decision.

Covington vs. Edwards Prediction

Covington’s cardio was the ace up his sleeve as he rose up the Welterweight rankings. However, he did not have that advantage against Usman, and it showed. Edwards’ cardio should also be on par with Covington’s, so the challenger could be in trouble.

Another issue to consider is that Covington has not fought in over 18 months. Truth be told, he probably would not still be ranked third in the Welterweight rankings if not for his relationship with Dana White.

I think Edwards will get his second successful title defense this weekend. Given Covington’s personality and promo style, Edwards should have plenty of motivation heading into this fight. I believe he will beat Covington decisively at UFC 296.

Prediction:

Leon Edwards (-130)

Which UFC 296 Odds Will You Bet On?

The final UFC card of the year is UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington. Edwards is a slight favorite to retain his title in the main event. Check out the list above to see the latest UFC 296 odds and predictions for every fight on the main card.

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Shaun Stack Editor

Shaun Stack is a senior writer at GamblingSites.org. His gambling articles have appeared in the Daily Herald, Space Coast Daily, and NJ 101.5. He’s a football betting expert, a Survivor fan, and a skilled blackjack gambler. Shaun is a native of Kansas City but now lives in Pennsylvania and follows the Pittsburgh Steelers religiously.

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