Brandon Royval Record: 17-9-0

UFC run

Royval made an immediate splash in the UFC. In May 2020 he submitted veteran Tim Elliott, then in September 2020 caught contender Kai Kara-France in a guillotine in a wild back-and-forth that announced him as a top flyweight. A TKO loss to Brandon Moreno followed at UFC 255, and in 2021 he was submitted by future champion Alexandre Pantoja. Royval regrouped with a 2022 split decision over Rogério Bontorin and a guillotine finish of Matt Schnell, then opened 2023 with a violent first-round knockout of Matheus Nicolau that earned him a title shot.

That opportunity came at UFC 296 in December 2023, where Royval challenged Pantoja for the flyweight championship and lost a competitive five-round decision in the rematch. He responded with the best run of his career: a five-round split-decision win over former champion Brandon Moreno in February 2024 avenged his earlier loss, and that October he handed the undefeated Tatsuro Taira his first professional defeat via split decision. His 2025 turned difficult, with a decision loss to rising star Joshua Van at UFC 317 and a first-round knockout loss to Manel Kape in December.

Fighting style

Royval is a scrambler in the purest sense – a black belt who fights at a relentless pace and is comfortable in the most chaotic positions. Nine of his 17 wins are submissions and four are knockouts, a 76% finish rate that reflects how aggressively he hunts the finish from any angle. His jiu-jitsu, particularly his guillotine and triangle game, is world-class, and his volume striking keeps opponents under constant pressure. The trade-off is defense: his willingness to engage in firefights leaves him hittable, and six of his nine losses have come by decision against the division's most disciplined fighters. Few flyweights, however, are more dangerous in a scramble.

Career highlights

• UFC flyweight title challenger — earned a championship shot against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296 after a knockout of Matheus Nicolau.
• Beat a former champion — avenged an earlier loss with a five-round decision win over Brandon Moreno in 2024.
• Spoiled an unbeaten run — dealt Tatsuro Taira his first pro loss in a five-round split decision.