Brandon Royval’s performance at UFC Kansas City has put him in the spotlight and on the fast track to potentially earning a shot at UFC gold. The preliminary card saw him go head-to-head with Matheus Nicolau, and what followed was a hardcore fan’s delight. Although the fight began with an initial feeling-out process, Royval quickly made his intentions clear when he delivered an absolutely brutal knee up the middle that badly hurt Nicolau.

What followed was a barrage of nasty elbows and punches that Royval unleashed, smelling blood and ultimately leading to the referee calling it at 2:09 of the opening round. In the aftermath of his triumph, Royval used the moment to throw some shade towards the gambling community that had him as a sizable underdog.

However, he wasn’t done yet and also sent out a message to those defeated by him inside the octagon, flyweight champ Brandon Moreno and Alexandre Pantoja, saying that he is ready to face the winner of their upcoming title bout at UFC 290 in July.

Nicolau’s winning streak may have come to an end but his UFC record still stands at 7-2 overall. Royval, however, has emerged as a true champion and a force to be reckoned with in the world of UFC. If his performance at UFC Kansas City is anything to go by, there’s a good chance that we will be seeing more of him in the future, and potentially with a UFC gold belt around his waist.

With such a tremendous performance, it’s no surprise that fans are already eagerly anticipating his next fight, and it’s sure to be a must-see event with Royval delivering nothing short of his best.