Brandon Royval, who recently won a split decision over former champion Brandon Moreno, has criticized Muhammad Mokaev‘s performance in a recent fight and expressed his desire for another shot at UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja, but is also open to a fight with Mokaev if the UFC decides to go in that direction.
Brandon Royval? Not a fan of Muhammad Mokaev. Not one bit.
Back in February, Royval snagged a split decision victory over ex-champ Brandon Moreno at UFC Mexico City. Right after, he was all, “Give me another shot at Alexandre Pantoja.” But, it’s not that simple. Pantoja had already handed Royval a loss in December. And then there’s this rising star, Muhammad Mokaev.
Just last weekend, Mokaev clinched a unanimous decision win over Alex Perez at UFC Vegas 87. He too, demanded a title shot against Pantoja. Royval? He wasn’t exactly blown away by Mokaev’s performance.
“Maybe he beat Alex Perez, maybe not,” Royval mused on The MMA Hour. “But does it warrant a title fight? Nah. After the first round, he looked done. Not impressive at all.”
Every time he watches Mokaev fight, Royval’s like, “This is so lame. So boring.” He even forgets what Mokaev brings to the table until he sees him fight again. Then it’s all, “Oh yeah, this kid’s boring.”
Mokaev, on the other hand, is keen on a title shot and settling the beef with Royval. After Royval dismissed his performance, Mokaev shot back and called for a fight in July. Royval’s game, especially if it’s a main event.
“I love that matchup,” Royval said. “I won’t turn that fight down. But, we’re both aiming for the title. If one of us gets it, so be it. If it’s a five-round fight, he’s toast.”
Royval’s confident in a 25-minute fight. “You can nullify a position for 15 minutes,” he said. “But 25 minutes? That’s tough.”
Whether the UFC will go for it is anyone’s guess. The flyweight title scene is a bit of a puzzle right now. But whether it’s Pantoja or Mokaev, Royval feels he’s done his part. Now, it’s just a matter of waiting to see where the chips fall.
“I have no clue what’s going to happen,” Royval admitted. “I did everything I could. I took the short notice against Moreno, the No. 1 contender. If he’d won, they’d have given it to him for sure. But, I don’t know if things change because of who I am and who Moreno is.”