UFC flyweight contender Brandon Royval is planning to call for a trilogy fight with Alexandre Pantoja if he wins the title at UFC 296, and also wants a rematch with ex-champion Brandon Moreno, aiming to stay active and avoid stagnation in the division.
Brandon Royval is keeping his eyes on the prize. He’s got big plans for when he becomes the flyweight champion at UFC 296.
His title fight is against Alexandre Pantoja. Interestingly, Pantoja is the last person to have defeated him.
Since that defeat in 2021, Royval has been on a winning streak. He’s had three straight wins, including a submission over Matt Schnell and a knockout against Matheus Nicolau.
Defeating Pantoja would be sweet revenge for Royval. But just evening the score isn’t enough. He’s already thinking about a trilogy.
“That was going to be my first callout,” Royval said. He’s eager for a third fight with Pantoja.
Royval’s got a point to prove. He wants to end the discussion of who is the better fighter. He’s confident he’s more skilled than Pantoja.
But, who knows how the fight will play out? Both fighters are wild. Royval acknowledges they might drag each other to hell.
A third fight with Pantoja is his first choice. But, Royval also feels he has unfinished business with ex-UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno.
Royval lost to Moreno three years ago due to a shoulder injury. He doesn’t count that as a loss. But he wants a rematch with Moreno.
Moreno will be at UFC 296. He’ll be the backup fighter for the co-main event. Then, he’ll prepare for his matchup against Amir Albazi in February.
Whether it’s Pantoja or Moreno next, Royval wants to stay busy. He doesn’t want the flyweight division to stagnate during his reign.
He watched Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo fight four times before a new contender emerged. Royval wants to keep the division moving.
“I want to stay active as a champion,” Royval said. He wants to run through the division quickly and move on to his next endeavor.
He wants to fight Moreno or Pantoja immediately after this fight. He believes these are the right callouts to secure his legacy.
Once he’s done with those fights, Royval wants to keep fighting. He knows there will be a long list of potential opponents waiting for him.
If he models his career after anyone, it would be Nick Diaz. Royval might send a message to the flyweight division that ends with “don’t be scared homie.”
“My favorite fighter in the world is Nick Diaz,” Royval said. He admires Diaz’s era when he was the Strikeforce champion.
Royval wants to be like Diaz. He wants to fight frequently. But he also knows he needs to be smart and look out for his career.
“Now that I’m here, once I win this belt, I have a good opportunity to defend that belt,” Royval said. He sees Diaz as a significant influence in his MMA career.