Top flyweight contender Brandon Royval made a big case for world title contention with an impressive victory over Tatsuro Taira.
The multiple-time title contender has been in top form since losing his shot at Alexandre Pantoja’s belt back in December. He defeated former champion Brandon Moreno in a Mexico City rematch earlier this year, and looked solid again with Taira last night in the UFC Apex.
Royval earned himself a fifth $50,000 bonus in ten UFC fights as he went to war over five rounds with Taira, who is eight years his junior. He has four times won ‘Fight of the Night’, with one of his bonuses coming for Performance of the Night.
- Who is Dana White? All you need to know about the CEO and President of the UFC
Brandon Royval beats Tatsuro Taira in ‘modern classic’
Flyweight action took center as the UFC Apex took on its 98th show since launching as a host venue during the pandemic in 2020. Brandon Royval started the stronger as Tatsuro Taira needed a bit more time to get into things.
However, late in the first he did land a takedown that one judge felt had done enough to win him the fight. It turned out that the first round was the deciding factor, with all three judges handing in identical cards for the following four.
Rounds two and four landed for Taira, with the third scoring for Royval meaning the fifth was all to play for. And the Colorado native pushed the issue, putting in one of the rounds of his career to secure a razor-close victory.
Fans and fellow fighters were ecstatic after the fact, with former divisional champion Henry Cejudo delighting in Royval’s performance. And feather star Andre Fili branded the bout a “modern classic” in his post-fight tweet.
Brandon Royval makes his case for third UFC title fight with huge win
Following his impressive outing, Royval was in no mood to mince words as he took to the microphone. After learning that Pantoja has been booked to face promotional newcomer Kai Asakura in his next title defence at UFC 310, he insisted he was coming for both men.
He even offered to make himself the backup for that title fight, which takes place in December at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. “I get that f***ing title shot next,” Royval told Michael Bisping in his initial post-fight interview.
“I get that title shot next. I’ll be the backup. Kai Asakura, I’m going to Japan, I’m taking that s***. If Pantoja wins it, I’m going to Brazil and I’m taking that s***.
“Title shot next. That’s the only f***ing discussion. I beat everybody in the top 5 of the f***ing division. Who the f*** else?”