Charles Johnson eyes Brandon Royval rematch to avenge 2018 LFA defeat after UFC 330 Scottish twister

Charles Johnson wants to settle old business with Brandon Royval after recording only the second Scottish twister submission in UFC history, defeating Eduardo Henrique at UFC 330.

Henrique stepped in on three days’ notice after Johnson’s originally scheduled opponent, Jose Ochoa, withdrew. Despite the late change, Johnson (20-9) delivered a statement performance and immediately set his sights on a main event return within 90 days.

Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Johnson named Royval, Kyoji Horiguchi, and Tatsuro Taira as his preferred next opponents — but made no secret of who he wants most. “I do have a preference; no doubt, it’s Brandon Royval,” Johnson said. “We had an amazing fight in LFA, and I think he’s the most proven out of those three guys. I think he’s the best out of those three guys. We’re both dogs. It’s going to be f*cking fight of the year.”

The two fighters met in 2018 under the Legacy Fighting Alliance banner, with Royval coming out on top. Johnson, now 35 and nicknamed “InnerG”, views the rematch as unfinished business and rates Royval above both Horiguchi and Taira in terms of pedigree and proof of quality.

Johnson’s UFC 330 win came on the back of a loss to Asu Almabayev, making it a significant bounce-back result. His résumé already includes victories over top-ranked contender Lone’er Kavanagh and current flyweight champion Joshua Van, underlining his credentials as a legitimate main event contender.

Royval (18-9) arrives in similarly compelling form. He most recently defeated Kavanagh, rebounding from back-to-back losses against Van and Manel Kape. The parallel trajectories of both fighters — each rebuilding after setbacks, each holding a win over Kavanagh — make the potential rematch a natural and well-matched booking.

“I would love to fight as soon as I’m healthy, within the next 90 days,” Johnson said. “I would love a main event if it makes sense for the UFC.” Having already competed four times in 2025, Johnson’s appetite for activity is clear. Whether the UFC moves to make the Royval rematch official remains to be seen, but Johnson has done everything in his power to force the conversation.