Royval named backup for UFC 336 flyweight title fight as Van meets Kape in Toronto

Brandon Royval has confirmed he is the designated backup for the UFC flyweight championship bout between Joshua Van and Manel Kape at UFC 336, scheduled for January 30, 2027, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. The 34-year-old revealed the role on The Ariel Helwani Show, saying he has already begun cutting weight ahead of the event.

“I’m the backup,” Royval said. “I’m getting in shape right now, starting to lose weight after this week. And yeah, we’ll see.”

Royval (18-9) carries a complicated history with both men on the card — he has losses to Van and Kape on his record. Despite that, he views the backup slot as a pragmatic way to remain relevant in the flyweight title picture while his own path forward stays unclear.

“The backup spot is for sure something I want because there are chances that people pull out of fights, and there are chances that someone gets hurt or whatever it is,” he said. “So, it’s a situation that at least keeps me in the title picture for a little bit, and it gets me studying the champion and the contender for the championship.”

Royval’s standing in the division has become awkward by his own admission. He rebounded in July with a rear-naked choke submission of Lone’er Kavanagh at UFC 329, but has struggled to identify a clear next opponent. A potential matchup with Asu Almabayev stalled after the Kazakh fighter was sidelined by injury for longer than anticipated.

“I don’t know what else I’m going to do,” Royval said. “I’m in a weird situation where it’s like, the people in front of me beat me, and then I beat everybody behind me pretty much. So, I’m kind of waiting for a few fights to shape out before I can even have an opponent.”

On the title fight itself, Royval offered a measured breakdown of both contenders. He sees Kape as the more dangerous finisher early, but believes Van becomes increasingly difficult to beat as the rounds accumulate.

“If it ends early, I think Kape will knock him out, and if it doesn’t, I think Van is just so hard to pick against that he can get it done,” Royval said.