Brandon Royval obtained a suggestion to face Kai Asakura at UFC 305 in Perth, however he in the end turned it down.
Now, Royval will face Tatsuro Taira in the primary occasion of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 98 struggle card on the UFC APEX. “Uncooked Dawg” says the struggle with the previous RIZIN bantamweight champion excited him, but when he was going to make the ten,000-mile trek, it wanted to be value his whereas.
“They supplied me that struggle in Australia,” Royval instructed MMA Preventing. “I requested them for more cash, I requested for a handful of stuff, and so they stated no. After which I requested them for one among any of these issues, and so they stated no. And I used to be like, all proper, properly, then I’m not gonna go f*cking struggle some dude, not within the UFC, for not a lot cash, all the way in which throughout the [world] the place I’m not getting any sleep. I’m not getting any of this, I’m not getting a assured title shot, I’m not getting any more cash.
“I obtained to carry my complete group on the market if I’m going to go on the market as a result of I must get my Arcadian rhythm in cycle. So it’s like I obtained to fly out my complete group and guys that seem like Kai Asakura. So it was a type of [things where] financially [it] doesn’t make sense to me. After which it additionally, like, the danger doesn’t [exceed] the reward. If I’m going on the market and lose, I simply misplaced anyone and not using a rating, and if I’m going on the market and win, they’re not guaranteeing me a title shot or something. So there was actually no reward in that.”
The 32-year-old Royval is about to make his tenth octagon look, and does so in his second consecutive Combat Night time headliner. In December Royval got here up brief in his first alternative at UFC gold, shedding a unanimous resolution to Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296. Together with his future unknown following the loss, Royval jumped on the chance to face previous opponent Brandon Moreno on brief discover in the primary occasion of UFC Mexico Metropolis, and went on to get the victory by way of cut up resolution.
With properly over 4 years within the promotion, and being the UFC’s present top-ranked 125-pounder, Royval has realized, and understood, that whenever you’re in that place, the juice must be well worth the squeeze — even for a fan-friendly struggle towards Asakura.
“Dude, I consider myself like, bro, I’m a prostitute for positive,” Royval defined. “I put my physique on the road for cash. However it’s at this level [that] I f*cking earned my No. 1 spot. I fought my ass off. I’m No. 1 on the planet. So I’m an costly prostitute. I’m not an affordable ass prostitute anymore. I’m not simply promoting my physique to anyone who we’ll take it.
“I f*cking I obtained a worth on me, and I’m not simply f*cking anyone, you recognize what I’m saying? I nonetheless imagine in my coronary heart of hearts I’m probably the most thrilling fighter within the flyweight division. Anytime my fights haven’t been thrilling, It wasn’t due to me.”
Asakura signed with the UFC earlier this 12 months following a stoppage win over former Bellator champ Juan Archuleta at RIZIN 45 this previous New Yr’s Eve. The 30-year-old has nonetheless but to make his promotional debut.
Ought to he defeat Taira on Saturday, Royval would like to get his likelihood to avenge the loss to the champion. But when not, he would like to face Asakura, and possibly achieve this if the UFC returns to Japan in 2025.
“I don’t know, I actually don’t know,” Royval stated. “I wish to struggle for a belt. However that being stated is like, in the event that they’re not gonna give me a belt and it’s like, I feel I’ve a win over the entire prime 5 of the division, I don’t know what else you guys need, motherf*cker.
“However rattling, yeah, I kinda wanna struggle Kai Asakura in Japan. Japan is a dream. Kai Asakura is sick. That will get me off the bed, and I wish to struggle for a f*cking belt. In the event that they wish to hype Kai, then I wish to take that.”