Brandon Royval, fittingly, proved the fly in the ointment to UFC’s grand plans for the 125lb division.
Just hours before his clash with Tatsuro Taira at the Apex in Las Vegas, president Dana White announced former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura would walk straight into a flyweight title fight on debut against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 310 on December 7.
It has been seven years since the company last staged a show in Japan, the birthplace of MMA, and in an ideal scenario, business-wise, Land of the Rising Sun stars Taira and Asakura would headline there for the flyweight crown.
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However, Royval was determined to be a royal pain to UFC’s plans as he earned a split-decision victory in a five-round main event thriller over the previously unbeaten Taira. Royval, who retained his No.1 spot on the rankings, said: “I am just happy I got the f***ing win. That kid is tough as sh*t.
“I believe I am a five-round fighter and can beat anyone over five rounds. With the No.1 next to my name, I should be in nothing but five-round fights. I see a title shot next, there’s no way about it. I have wins over the whole top five of the division. I have earned my way to a title shot.
“I took a short-notice fight against the previous No.1 (Brandon Moreno) and I just took out the hottest prospect in the division (Taira). I think a title shot is what is next for me and I will be the back-up for the title fight on December 7 as well.”
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The main stumbling block over a title tilt is the fact the Colorado fighter has already lost twice to Pantoja, the last coming for the crown at UFC 296 in December 2023. However, ‘Raw Dawg’ believes he has earnt another bite of the cherry, whoever has the belt after UFC 310.
The 32-year-old added: “I have been watching Kai Asakura for a while but he has yet to make the flyweight limit and I’ll be there in case he doesn’t. But I’ll give that man his roses. He brings a lot of excitement to the division and I think he could take out Pantoja. If Pantoja grapples him at all, it will be over. But the fight starts on the feet.
“Either way, I’m going to go balls to the wall. I trust my pace, I trust my cardio – I trust fifth-round ‘Raw Dawg’. If I fought Pantoja again, and maybe I shouldn’t be telling him my secrets, I would just go straight after him.
“I think I played it a little too safe before, I was a little too worried. Next time I am going to go all guns blazing.”
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