Las Vegas — It was a roller coaster of a ride, but Brandon Royval got the job done at UFC 329, submitting talented up-and-comer Lone’er Kavanagh in the third round of their flyweight fight.
That third round would have been key had the fight gone to the scorecards. Royval was ahead in it, after winning the first. In the second, however, he was knocked down and dominated. Yet he stayed calm under pressure, regrouped, and got the finish in the end.
“That’s what I do, I’m a fighter. I’m a fighter first. I didn’t know how this fight was going to play out,” said Royval (18-9), a former title challenger, following his victory at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press, he admitted that “I knew he was a really accomplished striker, and definitely came in a little afraid of all that. And I’m just really happy that I was able to pull it off.”
Humorously, Royval added that “I listened really well, maybe not to my corner, but I listened to his corner really well for sure.”
Brandon Royval had one thing on his mind heading into UFC 329, and that was collecting some bonus money. As it turns out, he was successful: Royval vs. Kavanagh earned Fight of the Night, an extra $100,000 for both men.
“I got dropped. I’ve got a baby on the way, and I promised myself, I was like ‘I’m leaving here with two checks. I don’t care what happens, if I get knocked out, so be it, but it’s going to be an entertaining knockout and I’m going forward the whole time,'” recalled Royval. “I promised myself no matter what, I’m leaving here with two checks, I’m going to make a lot of money for me and my family. I’m super-happy.”
After the win, the #4-ranked flyweight called out Asu Almabayev. That’s all about keeping active. “I just want to stay busy, but I’m also a title contender. I’m a title-worthy fighter. I’m glad I could finally show it, I’m glad I finally got a finish. It’s been a minute since I got a finish. Before I got to the UFC, I was a 100% finish rate.”
With a baby due in October, Royval is hoping for a quick turnaround so he can fight before the new addition arrives – preferably on August 15, at UFC 330.
Watch the full UFC 329 post-fight press conference with Brandon Royval above.
