Brandon Moreno entered UFC Fight Night 237 with designs on earning a rematch against reigning flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja with a victory in front of his home fans.
Brandon Royval had other ideas.
The Factory X product relied on superior volume and cardio to pull away down the stretch for a split-decision triumph against Moreno in Saturday’s main event at Mexico City Arena. It wasn’t a done deal, however, until his last name was announced during the official verdict.
“I thought I got ripped off,” Royval said at the post-fight press conference. “I didn’t realize I won until my coach grabbed me. They read that 49-46 scorecard, and I was like, ‘What the f—k?’ … I guess I realized I won when Herb [Dean] raised my hand.”
Royval, who accepted the fight on short notice as a replacement for Amir Albazi, was fairly confident he had done enough to deserve the nod on the scorecards.
“I thought I won four rounds, but you never know,” he said. “I’m over here trying to score while f—-ing getting punched in the face, I really didn’t know. I guess That’s not really my job. I was leaning on my corner. My corner was like, ‘You’re up two.’ Once that third round happened, they told me I won that. I was like, cool … time to pick up the pace and go from there.”
Moreno, a two-time flyweight champion, was coming off a hard-fought defeat against Pantoja at UFC 290. That fight was close enough that Moreno probably could have stepped right into a another fight against the Brazilian champion with a victory over Royval. Instead, it’s the 31-year-old Colorado native who has the look of the division’s No. 1 contender. Royval appears to be well aware that Pantoja is expected to make his next title defense on home soil at UFC 301.
“I’m going to continue spoiling parties,” Royval said. “UFC 301 I’m gonna fight Pantoja and I’m gonna take his belt in his hometown, in Rio de Janeiro. We’ll keep spoiling parties. After I win that belt, I’ll defend that belt in Denver, Colorado.”
To his credit, Royval was able to shake off the disappointment of a five-round defeat to Pantoja at UFC 296 this past December to turn things around against Moreno.
“When it comes to fighting, I don’t think at all. I wasn’t reflecting on the loss [to Pantoja],” Royval said. “I overthink everything in life, I probably overthink so many situations, that fighting is the only place that I can be free of my thoughts and just kind of go and turn off my brain a little bit and go. I feel like that’s the obsession. That’s why I love it is because it’s the only time I can shut off my brain, be myself and just go and be free.”
In victory, Royval avenged a previous loss to Moreno under the UFC banner. He is confident he can do the same against Pantoja — who has bested him twice — should the opportunity arise.
“I’m gonna be the champ. That’s the future,” he said. “And then I’ll fight anybody. I’ll fight No. 10 — I don’t really care.”
More must-reads: