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The UFC 317 Main Card is fully underway from Las Vegas as we're set for a betting prediction and pick for a high-stakes bout between ranked talent in the Flyweight (125) Division. No. 1 contender Brandon Royval will defend his ranking against No. 12 Joshua Van hungry to take his spot. Check the UFC odds series for our Royval-Van prediction and pick.
Brandon Royval (17-7) has gone 7-3 inside the UFC since arriving in 2020. After losing his title opportunity against Alexandre Pantoja, he bounced back with consecutive wins over Brandon Moreno and Tatsuro Taira. He'll look to dispose of yet another contender as he looks for another title opportunity. Royval stands 5-foot-9 with a 68-inch reach.
Joshua Van (14-2) has gone an impressive 7-1 since entering the UFC in 2023. He's currently riding a four-fight winning streak and won his fight against Bruno Silva right around three weeks ago, so he'll be making a quick turnaround prior to the biggest fight of his life. Van stands 5-foot-5 with a 65-inch reach.
Here are the UFC 317 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 317 Odds: Brandon Royval-Joshua Van Odds
Brandon Royval: -102
Joshua Van: -118
Over 2.5 rounds: -230
Under 2.5 rounds: +175
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Why Brandon Royval Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Tatsuro Taira – S DEC
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 4 KO/TKO, 9 SUB
Brandon Royval notched yet another impressive win over a top prospect in beating Tatsuro Taira, so he'll be in a similar position this time around against another hungry competitor in Joshua Van. Following his loss to Alexandre Pantoja during his first title fight, Royval bounced back better than ever with a win over longtime champion Brandon Moreno. However, his last two wins have come by split decisions and he'll be looking for a more definitive result during this fight.
Brandon Royval does everything well, but it's his striking that's seen the most improvements since his first fights in the UFC. He's always been a nightmare to deal with on the ground, but his fast hands and ability to slip punches has really put him over the top in terms of his skill set. Expect him to turn in a complete striking performance as Van will force him to fight on the feet.
Royval will be the much better submission artist during this fight, but we can see a world where he chooses to stand and strike against Joshua Van. He'll have the longer reach and ability to close the distance against his opponent, but his knack for tying people up on the ground will be his clearest advantage throughout the close fight.
Why Joshua Van Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Bruno Silva – TKO (punches, R3)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 7 KO/TKO, 2 SUB
Joshua Van capped off his latest win with a knockout against Bruno Silva prior to time expiring, notching his fourth consecutive win during a string of fights that's been truly impressive. His skills at such a young age are truly unique, but it's his poise on the biggest stage that truly sets him apart from most prospects.
Joshua Van is extremely technical when it comes to his kickboxing, but he's also an underrated grappler and can turn his defensive wrestling into offensive opportunities. He also has a very high motor and is willing to push a frantic pace in a three-round environment.
Still, Brandon Royval is a massive step-up in competition and Van will have to be at the top of his game to come away a winner. This means putting defense first and not allowing his opponent to win during the 50/50 scrambles. Van should prove to have the faster striking hands and this fight will benefit him most if he's able to remain on the feet.
Final Brandon Royval-Joshua Van Prediction & Pick
We should have a great matchup here with title implications as Joshua Van stands to skip the line and earn himself a No. 1 contender spot with a win. However, Brandon Royval as taken out two of the division's best fighters in his last two wins and shows all the signs of being the rightful No. 1 contender.
Van's preparation will also be a question ahead of this bout, considering he fought just three weeks ago and won't have a full training camp ahead of this tough opponent. It'll be interesting to see how he handles a completely different look from an opponent that's seen championship rounds in the past.
For our final betting prediction, we have to roll with Brandon Royval to get the win. While Van is certainly on a crazy heater at the moment, I think the lack of time and proper camp will hurt him when facing a multi-layered opponent like Royval. Still, we'd like to see these two fight again down the road as their current trajectories insist they'll be challenging for future titles.
Final Brandon Royval-Joshua Van Prediction & Pick: Brandon Royval (-102)
