LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 12: Brandon Royval reacts after a victory against Tatsuro Taira of Japan … More
UFC 317 picked up an eye-opening flyweight fight earlier this week when the UFC booked Joshua Van to step in on short notice to face Brandon Royval shortly after Royval’s initial opponent, Manel Kape, dropped off the card due to a foot injury. Royval enters the June 28 pay-per-view card as the No. 1 ranked UFC flyweight, while Van is riding a four-fight winning streak.
UFC 317 takes place on June 28 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The PPV card is the centerpiece of this year’s UFC International Fight Week festivities.
UFC 317: Brandon Royval Vs. Joshua Van Gets Booked
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 07: Joshua Van of Myanmar enters the octagon before the flyweight bout … More
Kape, who is the No. 6 ranked UFC flyweight broke the news that he was out of his UFC 317 matchup opposite Royval on social media. “With great regret, I come to inform that I am out of the next #UFC317 competition.
“I suffered a foot fracture during the training &, after medical evaluation, I was instructed to have surgery & focus 100% on recovery.
“It’s not easy to stay out of something I’ve been preparing for with so much dedication, and without a doubt this would be the most advantageous fight of my career but I understand that this is just another challenge on the way and I trust the plans that Allah has for me!
“I sincerely thank everyone who is with me – we remain firm, stronger with each obstacle. The battle was only postponed… I’ll be back soon!” Kape wrote on X.
Kape and Royval were scheduled to meet in March 2025, but Royval withdrew from that fight due to concussions. Kape stayed on the card, beating Asu Almabayev by TKO. The win was Kape’s second straight TKO win and improved his record to 6-1 dating back to August 2021.
“Manel Kape is out, Joshua Van is stepping in,” Royval said on Instagram. “I have zero idea of the extent of Manel Kape’s injuries but I do know I have the hottest prospect and probably the most exciting UFC flyweight in front of me. Really nothing changes for me as far as what’s in front of me. I’ve got a gangster that’s ready to take my head off and earn his name off of me.”
Van confirmed Royval’s statement, saying on X, “I’ll be fighting Royval June 28!!!”
Royval last fought in October 2024 when he scored a split decision win over Tatsuro Taira in a “Fight of the Night” bonus-winning performance at the top of a UFC Vegas fight card.
UFC 317: Brandon Royval Vs. Joshua Van Opening Betting Odds And Line Movement
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 12: Brandon Royval prepares to face Tatsuro Taira of Japan in a … More
When BetOnline published the opening betting lines for the Royval vs. Van matchup, Van opened as the -260 betting favorite over Royval, who was the +220 betting underdog. Those odds have shifted in a big way since then. Today, Royval is the -132 betting favorite over Van, who is currently the +122 betting underdog.
UFC 317 Main Event Could Determine Who The Winner Of Royval Vs. Van Faces
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – JUNE 07: Joshua Van of Myanmar reacts after a knockout victory against Bruno … More
The timing of the Royval vs. Van fight is excellent. The co-main event of UFC 317 finds the flyweight title on the line, as champion Alexandre Pantoja faces Kai Kara-France in that matchup. The winner of the Royval vs. Van fight, which is currently booked for the UFC 317 prelims, could determine who faces the winner of that Pantoja vs. Kara-France matchup.
Van spoke about that fight.
“Kai is a very powerful guy. So I feel like if Kai doesn’t show him too much respect, I think he can get it done,” Van said. “But if Pantoja bullies him in there, it’s done. It’s over.
“It would be ideal if I fight Pantoja because nobody’s ever beaten him as the champion. So if I go out there and beat him, that would be [great]. May the best man win.”
Royval faced Pantoja in a title fight in December 2023. Pantoja won that contest by decision. The two also faced each other in a non-title bout in August 2021. Pantoja earned a submission win in that scrap.
Royval has a September 2020 submission win over Kara-France.
UFC 317 Main Card
The UFC officially announced the five-fight line-up for UFC 317 during the UFC 316 broadcast.
Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira – For vacant UFC lightweight title
Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Kara-France – For Pantoja’s UFC flyweight title
Paulo Costa vs. Roman Kopylov – Middleweight
Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano – Lightweight
Jhonata Diniz vs. Justin Tafa – Heavyweight
We will have more on Royval vs. Van and the UFC 317 fight card as fight night approaches.
Read the full article here