With a loaded lineup on tap for Saturday’s UFC 296 event, the flyweight title co-headliner between Alexandre Pantoja and Brandon Royval isn’t getting many headlines. The 125-pound championship bout will see Pantoja (26-5 MMA, 10-3 UFC) put his belt on the line for the first time against Royval (15-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in a rematch of an August 2021 fight, which Pantoja won by second-round submission . Both men have flourished since that result, and will run it back in the pay-per-view co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, which follows prelims on ESPN2 and ESPN+. Related Brandon Royval hopes for UFC title to strengthen ongoing mentoring of Denver's at-risk youth Alexandre Pantoja aims to be model champion: 'I'm not a reality show' UFC 296 officials announced for Leon Edwards vs. Colby Covington, Alexandre Pantoja vs. Brandon Royval Both the champion and the challenger are soft-spoken and humble athletes who have no history of speaking or acting out of turn.
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