Former UFC flyweight title challenger Brandon Royval didn’t lose much stock after an instant classic at UFC 317.
UFC flyweight contenders Brandon Royval and Joshua Van spoiled fight fans to one of the wildest three-round fights in recent UFC history on Saturday.
Royval and Van competed in a highly-anticipated No. 1 flyweight contender fight on the UFC 317 main card. Just minutes before UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja defended his belt successfully against Kai Kara-France, Royval and Van fought in a wild slugfest that left T-Mobile Arena in a frenzy.
After 15 minutes of back-and-forth action, Van squeaked out a unanimous decision victory to earn the next flyweight title shot. A late knockdown by Van in Round 3 sealed the deal as he nearly finished the former title challenger Royval.
Brandon Royval on Joshua Van fight: “Wish I could change”
It was a disappointing final result for Royval, who accepted the Van fight on weeks’ notice after his originally scheduled opponent, Manel Kape, suffered a serious foot injury ahead of UFC 317. Royval’s loss came after an incredibly impressive performance over the previously unbeaten Tatsuro Taira in October.
Despite the setback inside the Octagon, Royval is in good spirits after treating UFC 317 viewers to a fight that may enter the UFC Hall of Fame down the line.
In a recent Instagram post, Royval addressed his following after his closely-contested defeat at UFC 317.
“A tale of “The scorpion and the frog.”- some individuals are driven by uncontrollable instincts, even when those instincts lead to self-destructive or harmful actions,” Royval said.
“Wish I could change but I’ve always been this thanks for those who have supported me along the way.”
Despite the loss, Royval walked away with double pay from UFC CEO Dana White after a history-making fight that tallied 419 total significant strikes. It was Royval’s fourth post-fight performance bonus in his last six fights and his second consecutive ‘Fight of the Night’ nod.
Van’s win over Royval came just weeks after defeating Bruno Silva at UFC 316 by third-round knockout. Van is on a five-fight win streak after a knockout loss to Charles Johnson in his fourth UFC appearance.
- READ MORE: Dana White gives UFC 317 loser double pay after historic brawl with 419 significant strikes
Joshua Van set for Alexandre Pantoja showdown just a handful of fights into UFC career
After the biggest win of his career at UFC 317, Van will face his biggest Octagon obstacle to-date in a likely title shot against Pantoja. Van and Pantoja faced off in the Octagon following the titleholder’s submission win over Kara-France in the UFC 317 co-main event.
Pantoja will likely get a boost in the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings after another dominant title defense at UFC 317. In his post-fight press conference, Pantoja scolded the voters of the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings for putting him behind newly-minted welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena.
Pantoja and Van could potentially square off by year’s end, and the UFC flyweight division continues to blossom new stars like Van to advance the division’s resurrection.
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