Brandon Royval named backup fighter for UFC 336 title fight

Brandon Royval has been named the official backup fighter for the UFC 336 title bout between Joshua Van and Manel Kape. He and Ariel Helwani announced the news on social media.

The event is scheduled for January 31, 2027, at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada. The main event is a flyweight title fight between Joshua Van and Manel Kape.

Royval is ranked No. 3 in the UFC flyweight division and has a record of 18-9-0. Van is the current champion with a record of 18-2-0. On September 20, 2026, at UFC 331, he won a unanimous decision over Alexandre Pantoja. Kape is ranked No. 1 at flyweight with a record of 23-7-0.