UFC UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington Final

Flyweight

Alexandre Pantoja vs Brandon Royval

Alexandre Pantoja
Brazil

Alexandre Pantoja

“The Cannibal”

30-6

Winner

VS
Brandon Royval
United States

Brandon Royval

“Raw Dawg”

18-9

Winner

Alexandre Pantoja

Decision - Unanimous · Round 5 — 5:00

16 December 2023 · T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, USA

Key takeaways

  • Alexandre Pantoja beat Brandon Royval by unanimous decision after five rounds.
  • Alexandre Pantoja landed 126 of 195 total strikes and 8 of 14 takedowns, with 15:51 of control time.
  • Brandon Royval landed more total strikes — 281 to 126 — and still lost the fight.
  • The judges scored it 50-45, 50-45, 49-46.
  • They have met once before: Alexandre Pantoja won by submission at UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Gastelum.
Watch the replayPPV

Tale of the tape

Alexandre PantojaBrandon Royval
30-6Record18-9
33Age on fight night31
5′5″ (165 cm)Height5′9″ (175 cm)
67.5″ (171 cm)Reach68″ (173 cm)
125 lb (56.7 kg)Weight125 lb (56.7 kg)
OrthodoxStanceSouthpaw
American Top TeamTeamFactory X
Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, BrazilFromDenver, Colorado, United States

Fight statistics

126of 195 · 65%Total strikes landed281of 390 · 72%
75of 135Head strikes248of 354
27of 35Body strikes28of 30
24of 25Leg strikes5of 6
8of 14Takedowns0of 1
1Submission attempts0
15:51Control time0:47

Counts are total strikes thrown and landed — the source does not separate significant strikes.

Round by round

Alexandre PantojaRoundBrandon Royval
29/42strikes1/2TD0KD2:50controlR140/61strikes0/0TD0KD0:01control
24/30strikes2/3TD0KD3:44controlR280/90strikes0/0TD0KD0:00control
23/38strikes2/5TD0KD2:13controlR363/86strikes0/1TD0KD0:06control
1/3strikes1/2TD0KD4:21controlR428/38strikes0/0TD0KD0:31control
49/82strikes2/2TD0KD2:43controlR570/115strikes0/0TD0KD0:09control

Judges’ scorecards

Junichiro Kamijo

10R1910R2910R3910R4910R59

50total45

Ron McCarthy

10R1910R2910R3910R4910R59

50total45

Eric Colon

10R1910R2910R3910R499R510

49total46

They have met before

21 August 2021Alexandre Pantoja won by submission in round 2UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Gastelum

Form going into the fight

Alexandre Pantoja

  1. WBrandon Morenosplit decision2023
  2. WAlex Perezsubmission R1 1:312022
  3. WBrandon Royvalsubmission R2 1:462021
  4. WManel Kapeunanimous decision2021
  5. LAskar Askarovunanimous decision2020

Brandon Royval

  1. WMatheus NicolauKO/TKO R1 2:092023
  2. WMatt Schnellsubmission R1 2:142022
  3. WRogerio Bontorinsplit decision2022
  4. LAlexandre Pantojasubmission R2 1:462021
  5. LBrandon MorenoKO/TKO R1 4:592020

Also on this card

Colby Covington vs Leon EdwardsWelterweightunanimous decisionStephen Thompson vs Shavkat RakhmonovWelterweightsubmission R2 4:56Tony Ferguson vs Paddy PimblettLightweightunanimous decisionJosh Emmett vs Bryce MitchellFeatherweightKO/TKO R1 1:57Dustin Jacoby vs Alonzo MenifieldLight Heavyweightunanimous decision

See the full card of UFC 296: Edwards vs. Covington →