Sat Jun 28 04:10:00 UTC 2025: **Flyweight Fury: Royval Faces Rising Star Van at UFC 317 After Late Card Change**

LAS VEGAS – UFC 317 will feature a high-stakes flyweight clash as former title challenger Brandon “Raw Dawg” Royval (17-7) squares off against surging prospect Joshua “The Great” Van (14-2) tomorrow night. The bout comes after Royval’s original opponent, Manel Kape, was forced to withdraw due to injury.

Van, fresh off a dominant victory over Bruno Silva at UFC 316 just weeks ago, jumped at the opportunity to face the division’s top contender. The 23-year-old, riding a four-fight win streak, has a golden opportunity to catapult himself into title contention with a win over Royval.

However, Royval presents a significant step up in competition. Since 2019, Royval boasts a 9-3 record inside the octagon, with his only losses coming against current champion Alexandre Pantoja (twice) and Brandon Moreno (once due to injury, a loss he avenged in February). Royval also holds a victory over Kai Kara-France.

Analysts initially favored Van heavily, but many believe Royval’s experience and well-rounded skillset will prove too much for the young contender. Royval’s ability to blend striking with grappling scrambles is expected to control the pace of the fight.

“I think this is going to be a wild fight,” the author predicted, “and I see Royval getting a submission win at UFC 317. I think there will be some form of a grappling exchange that will lead to a Royval guillotine.”

While a Van victory would undoubtedly shake up the flyweight division and place him next in line for a title shot, Royval is seen as the favorite heading into the highly anticipated matchup.

**In other news:**

* **Baseball:** The New York Yankees defeated the Oakland Athletics 3-0, highlighted by a brilliant pitching performance resulting in a shutout. A Yankees prospect homered in his first Triple-A plate appearance. A rehabbing veteran is in contention to start for the Yankees on Sunday.
* **Baseball:** The New York Mets announced a devastating injury diagnosis for pitcher Griffin Canning.

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