The flyweight main-card clash between Brandon Royval and Joshua Van is set for UFC 317 on June 28, 2025, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It's an intriguing matchup between the division’s #1 contender and a surging, dangerous top-12 prospect stepping in on short notice.
This fight was originally scheduled to be Royval vs. Manel Kape—a high-stakes contender bout. But with Kape out due to injury, Van gets a career-defining opportunity to shake up the flyweight hierarchy.
Brandon Royval
Brandon Royval is the division’s perennial action fighter—dangerous everywhere, especially in scrambles and transitions. The former LFA Flyweight Champion is currently ranked #1 in the UFC flyweight division and has twice challenged Alexandre Pantoja for the title.
Royval is known for relentless pace, dynamic submissions, and a willingness to take risks to find finishes. He holds high-level wins over Kai Kara-France, Matheus Nicolau, Brandon Moreno (in their rematch), and Tim Elliott. Royval is coming off back-to-back main-event wins in 2024, most recently edging undefeated prospect Tatsuro Taira in a gritty five-round split decision that earned Fight of the Night.
But Royval’s style also comes with defensive liabilities—he can be dropped or submitted himself, as seen in losses to Pantoja (twice) and Moreno in their first meeting.
Brandon Royval – Last 5 Fights:
1. Win vs. Tatsuro Taira – Decision (Split) (UFC FN, October 12, 2024)
2. Win vs. Brandon Moreno – Decision (Split) (UFC FN, February 24, 2024)
3. Loss vs. Alexandre Pantoja – Decision (Unanimous) (UFC 296, December 16, 2023) – for the title
4. Win vs. Matheus Nicolau – KO (Knee and Elbows) (UFC on ESPN, April 15, 2023)
5. Win vs. Matt Schnell – Submission (Guillotine Choke) (UFC 274, May 7, 2022)
Royval’s experience against the best flyweights in the world and his five-round cardio make him a formidable favorite against any late replacement.
Joshua Van
Joshua Van is one of the most exciting prospects in the UFC flyweight division—and the first Burmese fighter signed by the promotion. Just 23 years old, Van has surged to #12 in the rankings thanks to aggressive striking, solid takedown defense, and real finishing power for 125 pounds.
He is 6–1 in the UFC so far, with wins over Rei Tsuruya, Cody Durden, and Bruno Silva in his last three outings. Van showed maturity in his short-notice win over Tsuruya and finished Silva in the third round earlier this month at UFC 316—just three weeks before stepping in here.
Van hits hard, mixes up his attacks well, and is tough as nails—but he's still unproven against elite competition. He has one knockout loss (to Charles Johnson) that showed some defensive gaps when facing slick strikers.
Joshua Van – Last 5 Fights:
1. Win vs. Bruno Gustavo da Silva – TKO (Punches) (UFC 316, June 7, 2025)
2. Win vs. Rei Tsuruya – Decision (Unanimous) (UFC 313, March 8, 2025)
3. Win vs. Cody Durden – Decision (Unanimous) (UFC 310, December 7, 2024)
4. Win vs. Édgar Cháirez – Decision (Unanimous) (UFC 306, September 14, 2024)
5. Loss vs. Charles Johnson – KO (Punches) (UFC on ESPN, July 13, 2024)
Stepping in on just three weeks’ notice against an opponent with Royval’s pace and finishing ability is a monumental challenge.
Prediction
Stylistically, this fight should be chaos—in a good way. Royval thrives in scrambles and wild exchanges, where his submission threat and creativity can catch even disciplined strikers. Van is dangerous early with his power and willingness to press forward, but Royval’s five-round experience, gas tank, and submission arsenal are major advantages over three rounds.
Van’s short-notice turnaround (just three weeks since his TKO win) is another factor—making it hard to imagine him keeping Royval off him for 15 minutes.
If Van can hurt Royval early, his power is a real X-factor. But Royval is durable, slippery, and lethal in transitions. Expect Van to start strong but get drawn into Royval’s kind of fight, with scrambles and submissions coming fast once things hit the mat.
Prediction:
Brandon Royval def. Joshua Van via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in Round 2.
Expect a fun, high-paced brawl while it lasts. Royval’s experience, grappling depth, and relentless aggression should overwhelm Van once the fight becomes messy, securing another bonus-worthy finish.