After eight months on the sidelines, popular flyweight contender Brandon Royval returns to action this weekend in the main event of UFC Vegas 98 against rising Japanese star Tatsuro Taira.
Whilst ‘Raw Dawg’ is looking forward to the challenge presented by the surging submission specialist, he knows that a win could set him up for either another shot at champion Alexandre Pantoja or a big-money clash with newcomer Kai Asakura.
Brandon Royval offers unusual explanation as to why he refused Asakura fight
Over the coming weeks, four of the five top-ranked UFC flyweights are set to compete in the octagon, all of whom are vying for the next shot at champion Alexandre Pantoja.
Yet there is a possibility that former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura, who signed to the UFC earlier this year, could leapfrog the various stars of the 125lbs division and secure that next title fight with ‘The Cannibal’.
Speaking with MMA Fighting, former title challenger Brandon Royval has now revealed that he was offered a fight with Kai Asakura for UFC 305 back in August; and explained why he declined the opportunity to welcome the promotional newcomer to the UFC.
“I kind of want to fight Kai Asakura in Japan; [fighting in] Japan is a dream. Kai Asakura is sick, and that fight gets me out of bed… I want to fight for a f***** belt and it’s like if they want to hype up Kai Asakura then I want to take that [too].
“They offered me that fight in Australia; I asked for more money and a bunch of stuff, they said no and then I asked them for one of any of those things, and they said no. I was like ‘All right, well I’m not going to go f***** fight some dude who’s not in the UFC for not much money.’”
Royval explained that since the UFC hadn’t offered more money or a guarantee that he’d be next in line, there was simply no reason to take such a risky fight – especially against someone who isn’t even ranked yet in the promotion.
“It was one of those things where I’m like financially it just doesn’t make sense for me and then it also, like the risk doesn’t take the reward.
“If I go out there and lose, well I’ve just lost to someone without a ranking and if I go out there and win, they’re not guaranteeing me a title shot or anything so there’s really no reward.”
In fact, Royval would then share a rather unusual analogy that summarizes why he declined to fight Asakura – simply put, ‘Raw Dawg’ knows his value to fans and the promotion.
“Dude, I think of myself as a prostitute for sure; like I’m putting my body on the line for money… But it’s like at this point, I f**** earned my number one spot, I fought my ass off and I’m number one in the world.
“I’m an expensive prostitute, I’m not a cheap a** prostitute… I’m not just selling my body to anybody who will take it, I got a price on me – I’m not just anybody.”
Brandon Royval wants to help train ‘future champ’ Taira after UFC Vegas 98
If Brandon Royval is to secure a fight against either Pantoja or budding superstar Asakura, he’ll first need to get his hand raised in the main event of this weekend’s Fight Night card.
Whilst ‘Raw Dawg’ is confident that he’ll earn the victory at UFC Vegas 98, he also hopes to help train Tatsuro Taira in the future as he predicts that his counterpart will one day become flyweight champion.
“This kid’s the future, don’t mistake what I’m saying – I think that I’m better than him right now, right now I’m taking him out everywhere, every situation, and if worse comes to worse I’m just going to dog him and f***** be a dog.
“But that kid is the future of the division, Tatsuro Taira will be a champion, and I hope after this fight, I hope after I catch this dub, and everything goes well; I hope that I can go and help him pursue that belt.”
Taira predominantly fights out of Okinawa, Japan, but had trained in Colorado at Elevation Fight Team for his December 2023 clash against Carlos Hernandez.
“I would love to be a part of helping him achieve his goals,” admitted Royval, before noting that he’ll show his worth on Saturday evening: “But as of right now, I don’t think that we’re on the same level.”
Royval vs Taira goes down this weekend live from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.