A significant contender bout is set for UFC 317.
This year`s International Fight Week event in June will showcase two championship contests: Ilia Topuria versus Charles Oliveira for the vacant lightweight belt, and flyweight king Alexandre Pantoja defending his title against Kai Kara-France.
The UFC 317 card recently lost a planned flyweight clash when Manel Kape withdrew due to injury, leaving the top-ranked contender Brandon Royval without an opponent.
It appears the UFC found Kape`s replacement from the fighters competing at UFC 316 this past weekend.
Brandon Royval Confirms Matchup Against Joshua Van at UFC 317
Joshua Van, a 23-year-old in the flyweight division, is known for his frequent activity, having competed five times in less than a year.
Van secured his fourth consecutive victory at UFC 316 by defeating #12-ranked Bruno Silva via third-round TKO. He is now scheduled for a rapid return to face Brandon Royval on June 28th at UFC 317, just three weeks later.
“Manel Kape is out. Joshua Van is stepping in,” Royval announced via Instagram on Monday.
Royval commented on the change: “I have zero idea on the extent of Manel Kape’s injuries, but I do know that I have the hottest prospect and probably the most exciting UFC flyweight in front of me.
He added, “Nothing changes for me as far as like what’s in front of me. I got a gangster that’s ready to take my head off and earn his name off of me…”
Royval expressed enthusiasm for the bout: “So, I appreciate the matchup, and then also just excited to f—— be in what I think is probably the most exciting matchup in the flyweight division and be aligned on the same flyweight title card as Pantoja and Kai Kara-France.”
Royval, a former title challenger, is riding a two-fight win streak with victories over Brandon Moreno and Tatsuro Taira. A win here could potentially earn him another shot at the championship.
Dana White Praises Joshua Van`s Willingness to Fight Often
Prior to his recent win, the fighter known as ‘The Fearless’ Van stated his desire to compete as frequently as possible. This sentiment resonates well with UFC CEO Dana White.
At the UFC 316 post-fight press conference, White commented on Van`s attitude: “Anybody who talks like that and says I wanna fight as many times this year, it’s the greatest thing you can do for yourself.”
White drew a comparison: “When you look at the old time fighters in boxing, some of those guys used to fight every weekend.”
He continued, “So, when that is your mentality and if you can win, I mean, look at Khamzat [Chimaev] when we were in Fight Island. He’s like, ‘I wanna fight again next weekend…’”
White concluded on Van`s approach: “I love it.”
Percy Harlow