UFC Names Royval Backup For Van-Kape At 336
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Brandon Royval has been named backup fighter for the flyweight championship bout between Joshua Van and Manel Kape at UFC 336.
The third-ranked contender confirmed the assignment to Ariel Helwani, saying the role keeps him in the title picture while he studies both the champion and challenger. The event takes place Jan. 30 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.
🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 336 on Ticketmaster →
Royval Eyes Path Back After Setbacks
Royval dropped consecutive decisions to both Van and Kape in 2025, but his short-notice war with Van at UFC 317 broke multiple striking records and earned Fight of the Night honors. "I think that the Van fight will always be on the table for me just because how good of a fight it was, and we broke a lot of records or whatever it is," Royval told Helwani, per MMA Mania.
The backup assignment carries extra weight given Kape's history of weight-cutting issues. Royval said the UFC has not told him anything beyond the backup role, though he hopes the assignment signals his standing as next in line for a title shot.
🎟️ Get tickets: Buy tickets to UFC 336 on Ticketmaster →
UFC 336 is headlined by an interim welterweight title fight between Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, with the winner advancing to face Islam Makhachev.
Reported via:
- MMA Mania — UFC names backup fighter for championship showdown at UFC 336 in Toronto
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