Tag: Brandon Royval

UFC veterans in MMA, karate and kickboxing action Feb. 22-25

Check out which veterans of the UFC are competing in combat sports across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC returns to Mexico for UFC Fight Night 237.

The event at Mexico City Arena in Mexico City features a flyweight clash between former champion [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag].

Many other combat sports events are taking place that feature several familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

Check out which veterans of the global MMA leader are competing Feb. 22-25.

Scroll below to see how the UFC veterans fared last week, and see the names and details of this weekend’s competitors.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

UFC Mexico video: Brandon Moreno, Brandon Royval have cordial media day faceoff

Nothing but respect between Brandon Moreno and Brandon Royval ahead of their rematch at UFC Fight Night 237.

MEXICO CITY – Just as the first one, it was all business and respect between [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] as they faced off.

The two flyweight contenders engaged in their first faceoff ahead of their rematch this Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night 237, (ESPN+) which takes place Saturday at Mexico City Arena.

Moreno (21-7-2 MMA, 9-4-2 UFC) and Royval (15-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) first fought in 2020. The bout ended in a first-round TKO in favor of Moreno. Both fighters are coming off losses to Alexandre Pantoja in title fights.

Check out the video above to see the staredown between Moreno and Royval from UFC Fight Night 237 media day.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 237.

Brandon Royval says UFC Mexico rematch vs. Brandon Moreno needed to ‘get me back out of my funk’

Brandon Royval wants to put his title-fight defeat in December in the past by avenging a key career loss vs. Brandon Moreno at UFC Fight Night 237.

MEXICO CITY – [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] appreciates the opportunity in front of him, as a win in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 237 main event would shift his career into a more positive light.

After getting dominated by flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja in their UFC 296 title fight in December, Royval (15-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) admits he was dealing with a bit of a post-loss hangover. He felt somewhat directionless, but then the phone rang, and he was offered the position of a backup for Saturday’s headliner, which was originally set as Brandon Moreno vs. Amir Albazi.

“I’m sitting at home, this is three weeks after the Pantoja fight, maybe four weeks after the Pantoja fight,” Royval told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 237 media day. “The holidays happened. I’m a little fat. I get a call and they’re like, ‘Do you want to be the backup fighter?’ I’m like, ‘There’s no way somebody is going to pull out oft that fight. Free vacation to Mexico City? For sure I want that.’ I took the fight.”

Less than one day passed before Royval’s phone rang again, and next thing he knew, he was in against Moreno (21-7-2 MMA, 9-3-2 UFC) in a rematch of their November 2020 fight from UFC 255, which Moreno won by first-round TKO.

“Within 18 hours later, I got another call and they’re like, ‘All right, you’re in. You’re fighting Moreno in Mexico City,'” Royval said. “I was like, ‘Oh sh*t, cool.’ … I’m really glad they gave me this fight. I’m glad I got this opportunity, because I definitely needed this. I definitely needed something to motivate me to get the sour taste out of my mouth and get me back out of my funk.”

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Royval, 31, said there was “so much to take away” from his loss to Pantoja that he already feels he’s implemented into his preparation. It’s not tough to get motivated for this one, either, because Royval thinks the way in which his first fight ended against Moreno was unjust.

A dislocated shoulder in the first round of the bout compromised Royval and made it difficult to defend himself, which allowed Moreno to capitalize and get the fight into a position to pound away for a TKO. It didn’t feel like a true fight or loss, Royval said, but it still exists on his record.

It’s a chance to show his growth, though, and Royval wants to deliver a clean performance this time.

“I just want to show the world what I can do, and I feel like I’ve yet to do that,” Moreno said. “That Pantoja fight, I’m like, ‘This is it. This time I’m going to show the world what I can actually do and my actual skillset.’ It just did not happen. I feel like this is another great opportunity against a fighter who is going to bring it at all costs.”

The stakes of this main event are largely unclear. Reigning champ Pantoja (27-5 MMA, 11-3 UFC) has said he wants to schedule his next title defense for UFC 301 on May 4 in Rio de Janeiro, but there is no perfectly logical challenger.

Royval is of the belief that the UFC brass will try to push Moreno into another title shot with a win. But if that’s not the case, he can’t speak so confidently about himself.

“I’m actually not sure what happens with me,” Royval said. “I’m pretty sure Brandon Moreno, if he wins, even though we both lost to the same person in our last loss, I’m pretty sure he’s getting a title shot. I’m not sure that’s the same position for me. I know if I go out there and style on him and I go out there and do some cool things, it’s going to be hard to be denied.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 237.

Video: UFC Fight Night 237 media day live stream

Check out the live stream of Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 237 media day in Mexico City.

MEXICO CITY – UFC Fight Night 237, which takes place at Mexico City Arena and airs on ESPN+, goes down Saturday.

Before fight night arrives, though, notable athletes such as [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag], [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag], [autotag]Yair Rodriguez[/autotag], [autotag]Brian Ortega[/autotag], and other fighters from the card are scheduled to speak to reporters Wednesday at media day.

MMA Junkie will be on-site to provide coverage. Check below for the individual interviews from media day, as well as the live stream above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 237.

UFC Fight Night 237 pre-event facts: Can Brian Ortega avoid fourth loss in five fights?

The best facts about UFC Fight Night 237, which features the return of Brian Ortega, who looks to get his career back on track.

The UFC returns to Mexico for the seventh time in its history on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 237, which takes place at Mexico City Arena in Mexico City and streams on ESPN+.

The main event will see former champion [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] (21-7-2 MMA, 9-3-2 UFC) take on [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) in a rematch of their November 2020 bout, which Moreno won by first-round TKO.

For more on the numbers behind the headliner, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 237.

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Brandon Moreno vs. Brandon Royval

Brandon Moreno’s ideal scenario: Earn title shot at UFC Mexico, challenge Alexandre Pantoja at Noche UFC

Here’s what the ideal scenario for 2024 looks like to Brandon Moreno, which involves Noche UFC.

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] knows the world of MMA is an unpredictable one, but that doesn’t mean he can’t try to envision future plans.

The former UFC flyweight champion would like to reclaim his title in 2024, and he has a good idea on how he wants to get it done. First, Moreno (21-7-2 MMA, 9-4-2 UFC) will have to beat Brandon Royval in the main event of UFC Fight Night taking place Feb. 24 in Mexico City.

He hasn’t been promised a title shot by the UFC, but he believes he’ll get one if he gets his hand raised.

“They insinuate it, but they don’t tell you explicitly that you’ll be fighting for the belt,” Moreno told MMA Junkie in Spanish when asked if UFC has promised him a title shot. “Obviously, you start doing your own math, as well. If I get the victory, there’s no one else in the division. You can maybe talk about Manel Kape and (Muhammad) Mokaev, who has a good streak, but I think every single one of them has an unknown.

“Despite defeating Tim Elliott in his last fight, he always leaves you with the doubt if he’s ready for the top five of the division. And regarding Manel Kape, we first need to see him fight. It’s unfortunate for him that his career has been with so many roadblocks due to so many fights falling through for him. So for one reason or another, my name is still there, even though there are some that want to discard me, I’m still there. So yeah, I want to win this fight.”

Moreno is 0-3 against Pantoja, most recently losing his title to the Brazilian back in July 2023. If given the title shot, Moreno would like to challenge for the belt on a special date – Sept. 16, Mexican Independecne Day.

“My ideal scenario would be to win this fight on the 24th and then fight on Noche UFC in September later this year,” Moreno said. “At the end of the day, I’ve made so many plans that haven’t panned out perfectly, at least, but yeah, that’s my roadmap for 2024.”

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Brandon Moreno bored of fighting the same guys, says Brandon Royval ‘has nothing to lose and everything to win’

Brandon Moreno would have preferred a fresh challenge for his next fight.

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] would have preferred a fresh challenge for his next fight.

Moreno (21-7-2 MMA, 9-4-2 UFC) runs things back with former title challenger [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] (15-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night headliner Feb. 24 in Mexico City.

Moreno beat Royval by TKO in November 2020 after a shoulder injury rendered Royval defenseless in the first round. Despite Royval coming off a title loss to flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296, Moreno still views this as a No. 1 contender fight.

“I know Brandon Royval is going to come very motivated,” Moreno told MMA Junkie Radio. “He has nothing to lose and everything to win. … For me, it’s just to make a statement and keep my name there for the flyweight championship in the future.”

Originally scheduled to face Amir Albazi, Moreno was looking forward to a new opponent. The former two-time flyweight champion has fought Deiveson Figueiredo four times and Pantoja three times – including their fight on Season 24 of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

“If you watch my record in the last years since 2020, I’m always fighting with the same guys,” Moreno said. “I’m just kind of tired – it’s kind of boring, but it is what it is. I was excited for this fight against Amir Albazi because new body, new game plan, new everything.

“So I was excited for that, but then he had to pull out for an injury. This is how this sport works and I understand. Brandon Royval jumped for the opportunity. It’s tiring, it’s boring, but a fight is a fight, a win is a win, and I need this win to keep my name there.”

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Video: Our favorite new matchups for 2024’s first quarter

Our “Spinning Back Clique” picks their favorite fights on the schedule so far for Q1 2024.

It’s a new year and that means a whole new slate of fights ahead.

As the UFC and other promotions fill out their Q1 2024 calendar, some intriguing matchups have been announced.

From [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] 2 in Mexico, to the return of [autotag]Rose Namajunas[/autotag] against [autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag] in Las Vegas, and [autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Vicente Luque[/autotag] in Atlantic City, there are a number of fun matchups to get excited about.

But which fights are our favorites?

That’s what our “Spinning Back Clique” of Nolan King, Dan Tom and Brian “Goze” Garcia discussed along with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

You can watch their discussion in the video above, or check out this week’s episode below on YouTube or in podcast form.

Brandon Royval explains why he doesn’t count first Brandon Moreno fight as a loss

Heading into their UFC Mexico City rematch, Bradnon Royval doesn’t put any stock in the outcome of his first fight vs. Brandon Moreno.

[autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] doesn’t put any stock into his setback vs. [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag].

Royval (15-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) steps in on short notice to rematch former flyweight champion Moreno (21-7-2 MMA, 9-4-2 UFC) in the UFC Fight Night headliner Feb. 24 in Mexico City.

Moreno beat Royval by TKO in November 2020 after a shoulder injury rendered Royval defenseless in the first round. Royval said he entered the fight injured.

“I feel like me and him hit just massive growth,” Royval told Middle Easy about Moreno. “I think even back then, I don’t know what I was ranked, but I know he was the No. 1 contender. It was also a short notice fight for me, too. So there’s a couple similarities there. That being said I was just severely compromised going into that fight.

“My right shoulder was so bad that I really didn’t train for the fight. So, it’s going to be cool just kind of having a training camp and then just being able to use my best weapon, which I think is the jab. It’ll be cool kind of going in there and just not having to worry about any of that stuff.”

Royval will look to rebound from his title loss to flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296. Unlike against Pantoja, Royval doesn’t have any bitter feelings from his first loss to Moreno. He’s looking at their rematch as a clean slate.

“In my head, I do not count that as a loss,” Royval said. “Like, that sh*t’s crazy. It was like, not a doctor stoppage or whatever it was. The fact that my shoulder happened – like I get it, if he had me in a kimura and busted my shoulder open, that’s him winning. But I was literally on top of the guy like punching him in the face when my shoulder dislocated.”

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Brandon Moreno moderately favored to win UFC Mexico City headliner vs. Brandon Royval

Brandon Moreno has defeated Brandon Royval once before, and the odd are that the former UFC flyweight champion will do it again. 

[autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] has defeated [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] once before, and the odd are that the former UFC flyweight champion will do it again.

Originally scheduled to meet Amir Albazi, Moreno (21-7-2 MMA, 9-4-2 UFC) will now take on former title challenger Royval (15-7 MMA, 5-3 UFC) in the new UFC Fight Night headliner Feb. 24 in Mexico City. The fight was recently announced after Albazi withdrew because of an injury.

According to the oddsmakers at DraftKings, Moreno is a moderate betting favorite at -250, with Royval coming back as a +205 underdog. This means a $250 bet would be needed on Moreno to earn $100 with a win; a $100 bet on Royval would net a $205 payout.

In their first meeting in November 2020, Moreno beat Royval after a nasty shoulder injury led to the end of the fight in the first round. Now they’ll run things back 39 months later in the UFC’s return to Mexico.

Moreno will be fighting for the first time since dropping his flyweight title to Alexandre Pantoja by split decision last July at UFC 290. Royval was Pantoja’s first title challenger at UFC 296 but came up short by unanimous decision.