UFC 296: Leon Edwards v Colby Covington - Briton to defend title in Las Vegas

Leon Edwards (right) was the second British fighter to win a UFC title

Britain's Leon Edwards will defend his welterweight title against Colby Covington at UFC 296 in Las Vegas on 16 December.

Edwards, 32, won the belt from Kamaru Usman in August 2022 and made his first defence in a rematch at UFC 286 in London in March.

Covington, 35, has not fought since beating Jorge Masvidal in March 2022.

In the co-main event, flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja makes his first defence against Brandon Royval.

Brazilian Pantoja won the title with a split decision over Mexican Brandon Moreno in a gripping contest in July.

UFC president Dana White said of Edwards: "The champ hasn't lost a fight in eight years and is coming off back-to-back wins over the greatest welterweight of all time - Kamaru Usman.

"He's defending his title against Colby Covington, a relentless pressure fighter with unstoppable cardio."

Edwards will be in the corner of brother Fabian this weekend when he faces Johnny Eblen for the middleweight title at Bellator 299.

White said Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira will meet for the vacant light-heavyweight title at UFC 295 in New York on 11 November.

The Czech Republic's Prochazka will fight in the octagon for the first time since suffering a serious shoulder injury and vacating the belt he won by beating Glover Teixeira in June 2022.

Brazil's former middleweight champion Pereira beat Jan Blachowicz on his light-heavyweight debut in July.

American Jamahal Hill vacated the light-heavyweight title because an Achilles injury.

UFC great Jon Jones will make the first defence of his heavyweight title against former champion and fellow American Stipe Miocic in the UFC 295 co-main event at Madison Square Garden.