Brandon Royval says UFC trying to push him out at UFC 329

Brandon Royval believes the UFC is trying to boot him from the flyweight rankings.

Royval faces surging contender Lone'er Kavanagh on the UFC 329 main card this weekend at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, and the former title challenger told media at Wednesday's presser that the matchup feels deliberate. According to MMA Mania, Royval knew the pairing was coming the moment Kavanagh dismantled former two-time champion Brandon Moreno at UFC Mexico City. "As soon as that fight was over, I was sure they were going to present it to me," he said. "I knew we were fighting literally the next day after his win over Moreno."

Why Royval sees the Kavanagh fight as personal

Royval is riding back-to-back losses for just the second time in his career, while Kavanagh enters on a hot streak. The matchup makes sense on paper — a dangerous rising contender against a proven top-five name — but Royval sees it as the promotion trying to clear him out. "I've been in the Top 5 in this division for like four to five years," he said, per the report, "and I take it personally that they are trying to push me out."

Despite the stakes, Royval framed the bout as an opportunity. He acknowledged the UFC booked the fight because it guarantees action, and he plans to capitalize. "The opportunity is to fill my pocket full of cash, make a statement, and put on another high-level, exciting fight," he said. Win or lose, Royval has delivered violence throughout his flyweight run, but Saturday night he is fighting to hold his ranking, not just entertain.

UFC 329 goes down this weekend with Conor McGregor and Max Holloway in the main event.

Original reporting:

• mmamania.com — Brandon Royval Says UFC Is Trying To Push Him Out | MMA Mania