Brandon Royval Opens Up About How 2021 Loss to Alexandre Pantoja Transformed His Fighting Style

Brandon Royval, a UFC flyweight contender, has experienced a rebirth after his last loss.

Following a submission loss to Alexandre Pantoja in August 2021, Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) is now on a three-fight winning streak. The defeat served as a wake-up call, teaching him to fight smarter.

Speaking to Morning Kombat, Royval expressed his realization: “I need to change the way I’m going about things because I’m out here doing all these film studies for no reason. I’m watching fights every damn day of my life. I’m watching boxing matches every day of my life but then going out there and fighting like an a**hole. I just needed to change my ways for sure.”

Now looking to avenge his loss to Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC), who currently holds the UFC flyweight title, Royval is set to return to the cage on Dec. 16 in a championship bout that will serve as the co-main event of UFC 296.

Royval feels he’s the most technical fighter in the division but was previously fighting to match his opponents’ physical toughness instead of using his abilities in the most advantageous way.

He stated, “To be completely honest about how I feel now, I’m strategically better. I feel like I’m a complete fighter. A lot of these dudes like Moreno, and I’m not trying to sh*t on anybody, but he’s primarily a boxer. He’ll throw kicks once in a while, but I think if it goes down to the basics, I think I beat these guys in boxing matches, taekwondo matches. I’ll probably get out wrestled by every single one of them, but in a jiu-jitsu match I feel like I beat them. I feel like I’m more of a complete martial artist.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 296.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie