Brandon Royval, a UFC fighter on a three-fight winning streak, is serving as a backup for the upcoming title fight between Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja, despite not being scheduled to compete, and is using the opportunity to prepare for a potential title shot against the winner, according to an interview with MMA Fighting.
Brandon Royval, a 30-year-old contender in the flyweight division, is in an intriguing position for the upcoming UFC 290 co-main event. He isn’t scheduled to compete in this fight but certainly has a stake in the outcome. Currently, on a three-fight winning streak, Royval has explicitly requested a backup role for the title fight between reigning champion Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja set for July 8 in Las Vegas.
Despite a slim chance of fighting on that night, Royval has subjected himself to a rigorous training camp in anticipation. He aims to secure a shot at the title against the winner. “I’m going to go out there and make weight on July 7 and be ready to fight anyhow,” Royval said. He stated that he was excited to see how the flyweight division would shape up and is thrilled to have the opportunity to fight the victor.
Royval has a past connection with both Moreno and Pantoja, which becomes significant if he will take part in the UFC 290 co-main event. He had lost against Moreno, where an unfortunate shoulder injury resulted in a TKO stoppage in the opening round. His following fight was against Pantoja, which he counts as his only genuine defeat in the UFC, having been defeated by a rear-naked choke submission in the second round. This history between Royval and both fighters adds an additional layer of intrigue to the imminent fight.
Royval is mainly interested in fighting Pantoja again, the only person he feels has legitimately bested him in his career. However, he also sees potential in a Moreno rematch, which he describes as the “money fight,” tapping into Moreno’s massive fanbase. History and rivalry aside, this isn’t about settling scores for Royval. Indeed, he would gladly wait to secure his shot at gold, even if it might mean waiting until late 2023, a gamble he is willing to make. But above all things, Royval has remained constant in his pursuit — to become the number one contender and bring his dreams to fruition. “So if they want me to wait six months, f*** it, I have money saved. I’ll wait to make my dreams come true,” he passionately said.