Brandon Royval vs. the elite: Can he capture UFC gold in 2024?
MMA is a sport that embraces the risk takers and encourages fighters to develop new skills and keep on fighting through the hardships. Over the past few years, there are very few fighters who can be associated with such characteristics as much as the current UFC flyweight Brandon Royval. Best known for his power, unorthodox movement and a never-say-die attitude, Royval has emerged as one of the most entertaining fighters in the flyweight division. As he keeps on climbing the ladder, the one question that remains on everyone’s lips is whether 2024 could be the year that Brandon Royval becomes the UFC champion. This article also details Royval’s UFC career, his bouts against the cream of the flyweight division and the challenges he has to face to claim the title. The Road to UFC for Brandon Royval Brandon Royval was born in Denver, Colorado and was exposed to the martial arts at an early age, which paved the way to his mixed martial arts journey. Training under the guidance of his coach Marc Montoya at Factory X, Royval started his professional career as a fighter in local shows and then moved to the big platform of UFC. From the start, Royval was more comfortable in fast, back-and-forth bouts. The nickname he had, “Raw Dawg,” was given to him because of his aggressive approach and desire to engage in a brawl whether it is on the feet or on the ground. This man possessed a very unique set of attributes such as innovation, vigor, and stamina that would later on make him one of the most exciting fighters in the UFC. Royval was able to fight in promotions such as the Legacy Fighting Alliance where he won the flyweight title and was signed by the UFC in 2020. His debut match was against Tim Elliott, a former UFC Flyweight title challenger with a weird style and a never give up attitude. Royval was able to submit his opponent in the second round thus proving that he can handle the pressure of the UFC and that he is a great grappler. This was a statement victory and one that should have people taking note of Royval as a prospect in the flyweight division. The Journey of the UFC Flyweight Division. After a great start to his career, Royval was among the most promising fighters in the flyweight division. His next fight was against Kai Kara-France, a New Zealand based fighter who was already a part of the UFC top 10. In one of the most entertaining flyweight bouts that fans have seen in the recent past, Royval and Kara-France engaged in a fierce exchange that saw the two nearly land the knockout blow. Royval was able to get the victory by submitting his opponent in the second round with a guillotine choke which made him get his second successive win in the UFC and also received the Performance of the Night bonus. The fight was a perfect example of why the fans and analysts had grown to love Royval – the man was not afraid to push the pace, to take risks and to look for the finish in what often became a wild brawl. His victory over Kara-France elevated him to the top of the flyweight division and he would be challenged with even tougher opponents. But every rising in the level of competition brings about new challenges and Royval’s path to the top of the division was no different. The Setbacks: This is the Fight Against the Crème de la Crème of the Flyweight Division Every fighter has his or her share of victories and losses on the way to the title and Royval is no exception. After his victory over Kara-France, Royval was scheduled to fight Brandon Moreno, a contender in the division. This was a big bout because both men were looking to secure themselves a title shot. However, Royval got a dislocated shoulder in the fight and thus Moreno won by TKO in the first round. This was a big blow for Royval not only in the physical aspect but also in the psychological aspect. But even in the fight, and especially during the last few seconds before the injury, one could see that he is on the same level with the division’s elite. Moreno would later on defeat the current flyweight champion making Royval’s loss to him quite reasonable. Still, it was a reminder of how unforgiving the sport of MMA is where a single mishap or an injury can put a fighter out of action. Royval came back to the Octagon for the second time in 2021 after recovering from a shoulder injury to fight Alexandre Pantoja, another flyweight contender who had already proved himself in the division. The fight was another tough contest and Pantoja was able to submit his opponent in the second round. Again, Royval showed that he is a warrior and a true athlete as he tried to knock out Pantoja but failed and was submitted in the process. It was hard for Royval to go through these back-to-back losses, but at the same time, these losses were beneficial to him in terms of learning. The flyweight division is one of the most competitive divisions in the UFC and to win the title a fighter has to be able to learn, develop and bounce back from a loss. It was therefore not a surprise to see that Royval was able to do just that in his subsequent fights. The Comeback: Revival and the Main Triumphs. After suffering defeats at the hands of Moreno and Pantoja, people questioned whether Royval would be able to regain his form and keep on climbing the ladder in the flyweight division. This being a true reflection of the character that Royval is, he did not back down. However, he decided to take the time and increase his training to enhance his grappling and striking defence while at the same time keeping his aggressive fighting style.
