Alexandre Pantoja Set For First Title Defence, Draws Rematch With Brandon Royval

This five-round title bout takes place in the Flyweight (125 lbs) division.

Alexandre Pantoja is the current UFC Flyweight Champion with a professional record of 26-5 (10-3 UFC). He has notable wins against Brandon Moreno, Alex Perez, and Manel Kape.

Brandon Royval is ranked #4 in the Flyweight division and holds a professional record of 15-6 (5-2 UFC), with noteworthy wins vs. Matheus Nicolau, Matt Schnell, and Kai Kara-France.

Official odds have yet to be released.

Matheus Nicolau is coming off a Fight of The Year contender vs. Brandon Moreno. After defeating him twice before "The Cannibal" would go 3-0 over Moreno after a back-and-forth fight in the co-main event of UFC 290. Pantoja would display his superior grappling and improve striking in the match, dropping Moreno in the first round and frequently hurting him throughout the match. He now looks to successfully defend the Flyweight throne, which has not been defended since 2020 when Deiveson Figueiredo drew with Brandon Moreno at UFC 256.

Alexandre Pantoja lifting his Flyweight title at UFC 290. Credits to: Stephen R. Sylvanie - USA TODAY Sports.

After dropping two finish losses to Moreno and Pantoja, many wrote Royval off with just a 2-2 record inside the promotion. However, the former LFA Champion proved to many he wasn't done when he rebounded with a decision win against Rogerio Bontorin. Then he finished Matt Schnell and Matheus Nicolau in the first round, leading him to receive the next title shot. Royval and Pantoja have a history together, and despite being on the losing side the first time, Royval will aim to capture the Flyweight throne and spoil the reign of Alexandre Pantoja.

Brandon Royval finishing Matheus Nicolau. Credits to: Denny Medley - USA TODAY Sports.

The Flyweight division is on fire, and this is just one of many exciting matchups the division is bringing us. So, who do you have winning? As a member of the Verdict Community, let us know in the comments below.