Brandon Royval has addressed fans following a tough first-round knockout loss to Manel Kape in the main event of UFC Vegas 112, making it clear that the setback hasn’t shaken his resolve.
Royval entered the fight looking to steady the ship after a unanimous decision loss to reigning flyweight champion Joshua Van. Instead, the night ended abruptly. Kape caught Royval early, dropped him, and sealed the win with vicious ground-and-pound, a performance that pushed the surging contender closer to title contention.
Despite the disappointment, Royval quickly reassured fans that he’s physically fine and already thinking ahead.
“Thank you for all who checked up on me, sad about the loss but my health is OK and live to fight another day,” Royval wrote on Instagram.
The defeat marks just the second knockout loss of Royval’s career and leaves him at 2-2 since his failed title bid against Alexandre Pantoja in December 2023. Still, his body of work at 125 pounds speaks for itself. Royval has consistently faced elite competition, sharing the Octagon with the likes of Kape, Van, Pantoja, Brandon Moreno, and Tatsuro Taira.
While Royval regrouped, Kape wasted no time making his intentions clear. Riding the momentum of his statement win, he called for a swift return and set his sights firmly on UFC gold.
“As soon as possible. As soon as possible. As soon as possible,” Kape said. “I want to have this feeling again. The celebration is going to be when I have my belt. UFC wants to book me, I’ll be there. I have no injuries, the fight was fast, so I’m ready to go again.”
The flyweight division now finds itself in a strong position. Alongside Kape, Tatsuro Taira has also emerged as a legitimate challenger for Joshua Van’s title, giving the UFC multiple compelling options moving forward.
For Royval, the loss is undeniably a setback, but not a dead end. At 33, “Raw Dawg” remains one of the division’s most active and battle-tested contenders. Whether he takes time off or jumps back in quickly, Royval’s message is clear: this chapter isn’t the end of his story.
