Longtime flyweight contender Brandon Royval, now 125 pounds ranked #3has been named as the reserve fighter for the upcoming title fight between Joshua Van and Manel Kape, which is scheduled to UFC 336 co-main event on Saturday, January 30, 2027 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
“I’m the backup,” Royval said Ariel Helwani. “At least it keeps me in the title picture for a little while and makes me look into being a champion and a contender for the championship. Hopefully it’s in the eyes of the UFC, like, ‘Alright, we’re next.’ They haven’t told me anything specific, just that I’m the backup. I think the Van fight will always be on the table for me just because of how good a fight it was and we broke a lot of records or whatever it is.”