Brandon Royval’s unpredictable fighting style: Can anyone prepare for him?

Brandon Royval is the name that has remained constant in the UFC flyweight division due to this style of fighting that is unarguably fast-paced and unpredictable. The Colorado native has gained a lot of fans in a short span not only due to his flair for the dramatic but also due to the shenanigans that he creates inside the cage. While many fighters work towards the scientific dismantling of their foes through their drilling, Royval enjoys chaos, which is why he builds an insurmountable pressure that turns into a headache for his foes.

For a fighter, Royval loves the unknown and loves to keep his opponent guessing with his excellent striking, takedowns and constant pressure. His fights are not very organized and look more like an uncoordinated brawl and not the exchanges that two fighters have with one another, this makes it very hard for any opponent to prepare for him. The question that lingers over the UFC flyweight division is simple but profound: Is there anybody that can prepare for Brandon Royval?

This article focuses on the aspects of Royval’s fighting and discusses what makes him such a dangerous and unpredictable fighter, what difficulties his opponents have when preparing for the battle with him, and whether it is possible to find a way to counter this strategy.

Brandon Royval’s Journey: The Journey from LFA Champion to UFC Contender

Now before going into the details of Royval’s stand up game, it is crucial to look at the background to his development as a fighter. For the young man from Alberta who is now a UFC contender, the road to the big leagues was not that easy. Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Royval discovered mixed martial arts as a means of redirecting his aggression and enthusiasm for competition. Like most UFC fighters, Royval had to begin his journey at the regional level, and he was a part of Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA).

This was the time in LFA that Royval started to emerge especially after dethroning the LFA Flyweight Champion. He was famous for his wild and effective performance that most of the time made his opponents lose their ability to respond to his pace. The success in LFA along with his flamboyant style of fighting got him a UFC contract in the year 2020.

Royval’s first fight in the UFC was against Tim Elliott who is also a very experienced fighter with a unique style. This fight was one of the most entertaining flyweight fights of the year and Royval submitted Elliott in the second round, proving that he belongs to the world’s top level MMA. Since that moment, Royval has been a permanent resident of the top UFC flyweight division opponents and has been providing the fans with exciting fights.

What Is Behind Brandon Royval’s Unpredictability?

It is not easy to define the fighting style of Brandon Royval. While some fighters are known for their ground game, stand up game or defensive game Royval has it all plus a little bit of madness that other fighters can only dream of. His consistency issues can be attributed to several fundamental factors of his play that present different difficulties to his rivals.

1. Unorthodox Striking

The striking of Royval is very unorthodox in the most exciting way possible. Unlike most of the fighters in the flyweight division, he does not rely on the textbook style that is common in the division. Nevertheless, he has a great set of punches: a straight right, left hook, devastating angles, and incredible combinations. He delivers spinning back elbow, flying knee and other flurries that seem to come out of nowhere to his opponents.

Another thing which can be pointed out in the process of analysis of Royval’s striking is the fact that he takes a lot of risks. He often delivers punches from stances that most fighters would consider as being disadvantageous or vulnerable. For instance, Royval will often use flying knees or spinning attacks during the time when his opponent is trying to apply pressure, and that’s why it is nearly impossible to guess what he will do next. This makes sure that Royval’s opponents are always uncomfortable, do not get to relax or find their comfort zone at all.

This inconsistency in his strikes has seen Royval have some spectacular victories in his career such as the first-round TKO win over Kai Kara-France at UFC 253. Finally, in that fight, Royval was able to switch up his striking and keep constant pressure on Kara-France who had no answer to the constant flurries being thrown at him from all angles.

2. Relentless Pace

If there’s one word that’s used often to describe Brandon Royval’s fighting style, it is ‘pace’. Royval is a very fast fighter and he knows it. Royval is on the move, he is attacking and foremost he is making his opponent adapt to his style of fighting whether it is on the feet or on the ground. Such a pace puts pressure on his opponents and makes them make mistakes or leave gaps that Royval can exploit.

With grappling exchanges, you have to worry about Royval’s output even more. Most of the fighters especially in the flyweight division are familiar with scrambles and the rapid exchange of grappling but Royval pushes it to the next level. He never appears to run out of breath, actively searching for an opponent’s submission, transition or strike even in the most disorderly setting.

This pace is best illustrated in the fight between Royval and Brandon Moreno where the fighters traded blows in takedowns and striking all through the fight. Though Royval was forced to tap in the second round due to an injury on his shoulder, the pace and pressure that he displayed in the fight will show that even the best in the division will not be able to handle him for a full five round fight.

3. Creative Grappling and Submission Threats

Brandon Royval’s wrestling is as random as his striking. A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Royval is dangerous wherever the fight goes, and a submission threat. But what makes him stand out from the rest of the grapplers is his inventiveness and his ability and willingness to go for it in the grappling battle.

This is in contrast to methodical progression into advantageous positions that are common with wrestlers, Royval will try for a takedown or sweep from what would be considered a ‘bad’ position. Another characteristic of his fighting style is when he manages to pull opponents into his submissions during the takedown battles. Royval has had the guillotine choke throughout his career, especially in his fight against Tim Elliott where he got a guillotine while rolling.

Besides the submission skills, constant movement is also a feature of Royval’s grappling. He is constantly moving and does not stay in one position for too long and is constantly trying to roll, sweep or to attack for submission. This particular type of fighting is very hard for the opponents to counter because they are always under pressure, having to defend against any number of potential attacks.

Challenges of Preparing for Royval: How do the opponents engage in the fight?

The unpredictability of Royval’s fighting style makes it even difficult to prepare for a bout against him since one never knows what to expect. Coaches and the teams they train usually start preparing for the opponents for several months with in-depth analysis of their tendencies and finding ways to take advantage of it. But when it comes to someone as mercurial as Royval, that kind of planning is much harder. Here are some of the key challenges that opponents face when preparing for Royval:Here are some of the key challenges that opponents face when preparing for Royval:

1. Adapting to the Chaos

Another challenge that the behemoth faces when grappling with Brandon Royval is that the latter makes his opponents play the game of adjustments in the middle of the storm. Some fighters go into the octagon with a clear goal of how the fight is going to turn out with the aim of carrying out their set plan as they set the pace of the fight. However, the style of play that Royval brings to the cage is that his opponents cannot even follow a game plan. This constant shifting, his striking and his submission work make him unpredictable and therefore difficult to counter.

This often results in mistakes and Royval is always eager to capitalize on such opportunities. Some of the opponents who are usually used to setting the tempo of the fight may be caught off balance by Royval’s pressure and that puts them in a compromising position which may result to Royval throwing punches or going for submission moves.

2. Managing Royval’s Pace

As stated earlier, Royval has a high work rate that few fighters can keep up with and that puts him in a good position. This is why one has to not only train physically, but also mentally in order to prepare for such a pace. Opponents who are not willing to keep up with the speed of Royval will surely get tired and start making mistakes as the fight goes on.

However, there is more than that, including the psychological effects of fighting at such a high tempo. Royval’s constant pressure can cause his opponents to feel rushed and make decisions faster than what they would prefer in a fight. This can lead to bad decisions like shooting for take downs when it is not advisable or involving in crazy striking battle which is perfect for Royval.

3. Preparing for the Unexpected

Another major issue when planning for Royval is that the latter’s attacks are incredibly hard to predict. Since Royval doesn’t follow the regular striking or grappling style, the opponent has no idea what the fighter is going to do next. He might deliver a spinning back elbow and then a flying knee and then finish off with a diving guillotine choke in the space of a few seconds.

This unpredictability causes the game plan of the opponents to be cumbersome to develop. While many fighters can look at the previous fights and see what their opponents are likely to do and then adapt accordingly, it is almost impossible to do that with Royval because he is so unpredictable. This puts the opponent on the back foot and not the offensive as most of the time they find themselves defending the fight that should be Royval’s.

4. Grappling and Scrambles

Another massive issue that the opponents have to face is Royval’s takedown and grappling defense, especially in the ‘slams’. Royval has shown great success in the No-Gi grappling scrambles as he can look for the submission on the opponent. In the same manner, even if the opponent is a wrestler or a grappling expert, he or she may find it hard to decide where to take Royval or how to force him to the ground since he is always moving and searching for a submission hold.

For instance, when competing against Tim Elliott, another skilled wrestler, Royval was able to submit Elliott with a guillotine choke during a takedown attempt. This kind of unpredictability in grappling exchanges poses a problem for opponents to deal with or submit Royval or apply their grappling style.

Possible Ways to Counter Royval’s Style

Given the challenges that Brandon Royval’s style presents, the question remains: Can anyone really train for him? Despite this, there are some techniques that may be used by the opponents to counter Royval’s unpredictability which is one of his biggest strengths.

1. Controlled Pressure

Thus, one potential approach to combating Royval’s wild approach is to apply pressure selectively. In terms of game planning, instead of going for wild exchanges or attempting to match the speed of Royval, the opponents can try to take the fight to the ground and establish the pace. This can be achieved through footwork where one is able to limit the movement of Royval and push him towards the cage while at the same time throwing controlled shots.

They have also been made to put pressure on Royval in a pace that he cannot dictate the flow of the match. However, this strategy needs a lot of patience and discipline because the opponent should not fall for the traps that make Royval happy, and he engages in crazy fights.

2. Maintaining Distance

The other strategy that the champion can use is to keep his distance from Royval and prevent himself from getting into clinch range. As a result, to avoid getting overwhelmed by Royval, the opponents can connect with long-range strikes like jabs and leg kicks which will prevent him from closing the distance. It also enables opponents to avoid being caught with a submission or a strike from Royval since he is very unpredictable.

But, this strategy is easier said than done because it means that you have to be great at defensive footwork and you have to avoid Royval’s pressure which he puts on constantly.

3. Capitalizing on Mistakes

Despite this, one has to appreciate that Royval’s style is quite unpredictable although it comes with a lot of risks. He is always ready to take risks and unleash unexpected attacks which occasionally puts him on the line of being attacked. It will also be possible for the opponents who are patient and have good counter striking ability to make good use out of these openings and possibly catch Royval off guard with good counter strikes.

Also, it was seen that Royval has a strong ground and pound game and he likes to take his opponents down but he has trouble maintaining position in the clinch. While engaging in the striking game, Royval’s opponents with good positional control can seek to exploit these situations and counter the risk-taking in the wrestling department.

Conclusion: Brandon Royval: Can Anyone Really Train for It?

Brandon Royval’s fighting style is very unpredictable and thus can cause a lot of problems to whoever has to face him in the octagon. His striking is unconventional, he brings high work rate, and innovative in his takedowns and grappling which makes it hard for any opponent to plan against him since he brings the chaos.

Although there are ways on how to counter Royval’s style which include putting pressure on the opponent, avoiding clinching range, and exploiting the opponent’s errors, it is easier said than done. Royval’s capacity to confuse his rivals and apply pressure with his speed and constant motion make him one of the most dangerous and entertaining fighters in the UFC flyweight roster.

Ultimately, it’s not so much about having a plan for dealing with Brandon Royval and how he will play but rather about being ready for anything. Whether or not any fighter can truly prepare for him remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: that is why when Brandon Royval steps into the octagon, the fans should brace themselves for a crazy fight. And in the stylistically problematic universe of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, that might be Royval’s deadliest asset.