Joshua Van defeats Brandon Royval by unanimous decision at UFC 317 in high-paced Flyweight bout
Unanimous decision secures Joshua Van's fifth straight victory
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Top flyweight contender Brandon Royval faced rising prospect Joshua Van on the main card of UFC 317 in Las Vegas. Van entered the bout on short notice after Manel Kape withdrew due to a foot injury. Despite the quick turnaround, fighting just three weeks after his previous bout, Van extended his win streak to five.Royval entered on a two-fight win streak and held the No. 1 contender spot in the division. Early in the first round, he utilized his jab and leg kicks to control distance. Van started cautiously but landed a counter left hand followed by a right that forced Royval backward. Midway through the round, Van continued to find success with his right hand, knocking Royval down briefly. Although Royval appeared to regain composure quickly, Van's power became a consistent factor. MMAWeekly scored the first round 10-9 in Van's favor, though Royval had higher output.Also read: Jacobe Smith defeats Niko Price by rear-naked choke at UFC 317, avoids historic upset In the second frame, Royval maintained his jab while Van continued to land right hands. Royval responded with combinations that drew reactions from Van. A stiff left hand and continued pressure allowed Royval to control segments of the round, but Van answered with clean counters and body shots. The striking exchanges intensified, and MMAWeekly gave the round 10-9 to Royval.The third and final round opened with Van pressing forward and Royval landing jabs and body kicks. Royval initiated a high-volume flurry, but Van responded with a well-timed counter right hand. Both fighters traded combinations at a rapid pace. Royval attempted to dictate the tempo with increased aggression, while Van matched the output with power shots.With one minute remaining, Royval landed another combination, but Van countered with a left and closed the round with a significant right hand that dropped Royval. MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Van, concluding a closely contested fight.Also read: Dana White responds to UFC 317 overlapping with Jake Paul fight: 'that's how concerned I am' All three judges awarded the decision to Van, with scorecards reading 29–28, 29–28, and 30–27. The performance marked Van's most notable victory to date and positions him as a rising force in the UFC flyweight division.
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