Brandon Royval, known for his fearless approach, took a risky fight against Joshua Van at UFC 317, resulting in a record-setting, back-and-forth battle where he narrowly lost by unanimous decision, yet earned praise and bonuses for his performance.
It’s just not in Brandon Royval’s nature to back down from a challenge. After his unanimous decision loss to Joshua Van at UFC 317, that message rang loud and clear.
The flyweights put on what many are calling the Fight of the Year. It was a back-and-forth war, ending dramatically with Van scoring a knockdown. Royval barely survived to hear the final horn in the third round.
Originally set to face Manel Kape, Royval took a big risk by fighting Van, a lower-ranked opponent. But that’s just how he’s wired.
“A tale of ‘the scorpion and the frog,’” Royval mused on Instagram. Some folks are driven by instincts, even when they’re self-destructive.
“Wish I could change,” he admitted, “but I’ve always been this way.” Gratitude poured out to those who’ve supported him.
Much like the scorpion in the fable, Royval doesn’t hesitate when opportunity knocks. His performance was relentless, full throttle from start to finish.
Royval landed 215 significant strikes in just three rounds. He threw a total of 468 strikes. Together, he and Van set a new UFC record for a three-round fight.
It was the first time in UFC history both fighters connected with at least 200 significant strikes in 15 minutes. Yet, despite this record-setting performance, Royval was on the losing end.
A tough pill to swallow, no doubt. But he deserves all the praise for his effort. As a bonus, UFC CEO Dana White announced Royval would receive both his show and win money, plus a Fight of the Night bonus.
The loss puts Royval at 5-2 in his last seven fights. His climb for another title shot begins anew, but he remains one of the top flyweights in the sport.