KANSAS CITY, Mo. – It looks like the upcoming UFC flyweight title fight between champion Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja has a backup opponent.
Brandon Royval told reporters following his KO win over Matheus Nicolau at Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 44 that he’s been assigned the backup role for the 125-pound championship bout, which is set to go down July 8 at UFC 290 in Las Vegas.
“Yeah, I’m going to be the backup for July,” Royval said. “I think that’s already been discussed. Dana White said it himself. He said this is a title eliminator.
“They want statements to be made. I told Mick Maynard, I said, ‘Sign Matheus Nicolau, and I’ll put him away. I’ll make it an exciting fight. There’s no way this is going to be a boring fight. I promise you, and I’ll put him away.’ That’s exactly what I did. I wasn’t sure I was going to do it, but that’s what I was saying.”
Royval’s only two losses in the UFC have come to both Moreno and Pantoja. He’s hoping that Moreno loses his title against the Brazilian, as he’s hoping to get matched up against Pantoja whenever he gets his shot at the belt.
“It would be cool to see Pantoja win again and get that 3-0 against Moreno, so I can match up with him next and beat his ass,” Royval said. “Nothing against the guy, he’s a really amazing person, but I have a bone to pick with him. I need to get my get back. That’s the game plan, and that’s what I’m going to do, get my lick back against Pantoja.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 44.
