Joshua Van defeated Brandon Royval by unanimous decision in a flyweight bout that was widely considered a Fight of the Year candidate. The fight took place at UFC 317 on June 29, 2025.
How the Fight Unfolded
The match was a high-paced, back-and-forth striking battle where both fighters had moments of success.
Round 1: Royval used his reach advantage, focusing on volume with jabs and kicks to control distance. Van, however, was patient and waited for openings, landing the more powerful and impactful strikes despite Royval’s higher output.
Round 2: Royval increased his aggression and power, stepping forward and engaging in more exchanges. He managed to stun Van at one point with a series of punches, and this round was scored in his favor by two of the three judges.
Round 3: The final round was an intense exchange where both fighters traded powerful shots. The defining moment came in the final seconds when Van landed a devastating right hook that dropped Royval. Van followed up with ground strikes but ran out of time before he could get the finish.
Fight Stats and Significance
The official stats from UFC illustrate the nature of this high-volume striking battle:
Fighter
Significant Strikes
Sig. Str. %
Head Strikes
Body Strikes
Leg Strikes
Joshua Van (W)
204 of 305
66%
138 of 232
37 of 43
29 of 30
Brandon Royval (L)
215 of 467
46%
179 of 422
22 of 27
14 of 18
The victory was highly significant for Joshua Van’s career. Coming in on short notice and securing his fifth consecutive win, he established himself as the number one contender in the flyweight division.