![Leon Edwards (right) beats Colby Covington (left) at UFC 296, Michael Page (top left) set for UFC debut and Ian Garry (bottom left) set to return in 2024 [Image courtesy Getty Images and @iangarry and @michaelvenompage on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/12/25397-17028014044464-1920.jpg)
![Leon Edwards (right) beats Colby Covington (left) at UFC 296, Michael Page (top left) set for UFC debut and Ian Garry (bottom left) set to return in 2024 [Image courtesy Getty Images and @iangarry and @michaelvenompage on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UFC 296 struck another high note for the world's premier MMA promotion, which finished 2023 with a bang. However, by the looks of it, next year is destined to take the company to even greater heights, thanks to the addition of a popular talent and the return of fan-favorite fighters.
With numerous high-profile matchups on offer, this weekend's pay-per-view has ended up being quite lucrative for the UFC. The event has reportedly racked in a gate of $9.3 million from a sold-out T-Mobile Arena with 19,309 fans in attendance.
In the headline fight of UFC 296, Leon Edwards defended his welterweight title with a comfortable unanimous decision win over Colby Covington. The performance bonuses for the event went to Irene Aldana vs. Karol Rosa (Fight of the Night) and Josh Emmett, Ariane Lipski, and Shamil Gaziev (Performance of the Night).
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As for 2024, the UFC already has a plethora of intriguing fights in place. After months of speculation, former Bellator star Michael Page has finally inked a deal with the company and will make his debut against Kevin Holland at UFC 299. 'Venom' is 21-2 in his professional MMA career and was one of the major faces of Bellator for many years.
Furthermore, Ian Garry, who was forced out of his UFC 296 fight against Vicente Luque owing to health complications, is also slated to return at UFC 299 against perennial welterweight contender Geoff Neal.
ESPN MMA's Marc Raimondi reported the news on X.
UFC 296 delivers one of the scariest knockouts of 2023
UFC 296 has undoubtedly given us a Knockout of the Year contender, all thanks to featherweight fighter Josh Emmett.
While Emmett had a rather troublesome 2023 campaign, registering two losses, he certainly closed out the year in style with a vicious first-round knockout over Bryce Mitchell.
The 38-year-old was the underdog coming into the event. However, it took him less than a round to close the show. At the 1:57 minute mark of the opening stanza, a sweeping overhand right from Emmett left 'Thug Nasty' convulsing on the canvas.
Catch Josh Emmett KO Bryce Mitchell below:
The knockout sent fight fans into a frenzy, with many even speculating that the bout might be Mitchell's last as a professional mixed martial artist.
