UFC Vegas 112 was supposed to be a momentum fight for Brandon Royval, the kind that keeps you in the title race while the division sorts itself out. Instead, it ended with surprising silence for ‘Raw Dawg.’ One clean right hand from Manel Kape, one referee intervention, and the night flipped instantly.

Royval did not agree with the stoppage, and in the heat of the moment, his reaction made sense. Fighters rarely accept defeat. However, once the replay was shown, the reality became clear: the shot landed flush, the follow-up kept on coming, and Herb Dean made the right decision. In a division with razor-thin margins, Royval paid the price. Now, all he can do is look ahead toward his fight future.

Where does Brandon Royval fit in the flyweight picture now?

The loss is devastating, but it does not diminish Brandon Royval’s relevance in the division. Joshua Van is the defending champion, with his first defense expected in early 2026, while the rest of the division reshuffles behind him. Tatsuro Taira and Kape are rising fast, and Alexandre Pantoja‘s rematch window is dependent on how quickly the former champion can recover.

Because of this congestion, ‘Raw Dawg’ is definitely out of the title picture. However, he isn’t out of the elite list just yet. A fight with Amir Albazi seems like the best next step. Both are in the top six, are dangerous everywhere, and neither can afford a defeat. It’s the type of fight that quietly determines who stays close to the belt and who doesn’t. Win that, and Royval will be right back in the mix. But the problem is, in February, Albazi squares off against Kyoji Horiguchi.

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There is also the Brandon Moreno option, which has a bigger name and even bigger consequences. Moreno remains a fixture near the top, so this fight would surely bring a lot of credibility. A win here would do more than just restore momentum; it would force the division to reconsider Brandon Royval for a title shot, regardless of rankings math. However, that will require a bit of waiting since ‘The Assassin Baby’ is gearing up for his bout against Asu Almabayev in March 2026.

If the UFC wants to add some variation, Kai Kara-France or Taira could be good options. Both are ranked, each tests a different aspect of Royval’s game, and both match the idea of reshaping the contender ladder after a sudden shakeup. And seeing that both Kai Kara-France and Taira are yet to be booked for a fight in 2026, they can be the perfect options. However, the Japanese fighter recently revealed that for him, it’s a fight for the title next, while France has taken a year off fighting, making his return a long wait for Royval.

For now, what matters most is that ‘Raw Dawg’ is not starting from scratch. He is recalibrating. The title door may have closed temporarily, but it hasn’t locked yet. In a fast-paced flyweight division, one win can still change everything. When will his next fight be? That is up to Dana White to decide. But what we do know is that he definitely won’t be a part of the White House card.

Brandon Royval opts out of the UFC’s White House event

Weeks before this loss, when the White House card was still being framed by Dana White and Donald Trump as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for fighters and fans alike, ‘Raw Dawg’ made it clear that the setting didn’t match what he fights for. While others lined up for access to power and headlines, he simply exited the conversation.

His explanation was straightforward yet consistent. Brandon Royval discussed vibe, scale, and audience, questioning how a small, invite-only crowd could compare to arenas full of fans who live and breathe the sport.

He added, “I wanna fight in front of big crowds, bro. It’s like, how big can the White House even have of a stadium?” he said at the time, suggesting that spectacle without fan connection did not appeal to him.

So this is not a pivot or a response to a setback. It is a preference that predates the present. As the flyweight division reshuffles and the White House card continues to attract star power, Royval’s stance remains unchanged: he’s focused on fights that will propel him forward, not stages that distract from why he entered the cage in the first place.