Brandon Royval uncertain if he’s getting next title shot but knows Alexandre Pantoja rematch plays out much differently

Brandon Royval is hoping he is next in line for the flyweight title.

At UFC 290, Alexandre Pantoja became the promotion’s next flyweight champion with a split-decision win over Brandon Moreno. Before the fight happened, Royval weighed-in as the backup fighter which he hoped secured him the next title shot.

“For me, I was just securing a title shot so it was worth it,” Royval said to BJPENN.com. “If I go do this, I’m showing the UFC I can make this weight and if they need the job done I am the guy for it.”

Although Brandon Royval did weigh-in as the backup, he still hasn’t been confirmed as the next title contender. Instead, he can only hope that is the case.

Brandon Royval sees holes in Alexandre Pantoja’s game

At UFC 290, Alexandre Pantoja used his grappling to get Brandon Moreno to the ground, which did surprise Brandon Royval. With Pantoja able to control the grappling, he edged out a decision in a back-and-forth war. However, Royval also admits he saw a lot of holes in Pantoja’s game that he is eager to expose.

“That was a great fight, the heart that they put in there, what a fight. To be in one of those crazy brawls, I’ve been there and it isn’t easy to pull through and both were trying to win the entire time,” Royval said. “That being said, I feel like I watched the same techniques used when the Denver Nuggets won and the fans were fighting each other in the street. I saw the same brawls and techniques with less cardio and power, they both should be proud of themselves but the skill level in those striking techniques, there are holes in both their games and I think I can expose them.”

Currently, Brandon Royval is awaiting news on if he will be next in line for the flyweight title. If he does get the title shot, Royval knows a rematch with Alexandre Pantoja is much different as Royval entered the last fight coming off major shoulder surgery.

“It was a huge impact, my doctor told me not to take that fight… It was the first time I was grappling in two years, the first time I wrestled in two years. Ever since I was in the UFC, I was so compromised with my shoulder, anytime anything happened it would pop out,” Royval concluded.