Exclusive: Lone'er Kavanagh Sends Message Ahead of UFC 329 Fight with Brandon Royval

Lone'er Kavanagh discusses his UFC 329 clash with Brandon Royval, his flyweight title ambitions, and why fighting the best is the only way to the top.

Lone'er Kavanagh believes his upcoming fight against Brandon Royval is exactly the challenge he needs as the rising British flyweight continues his climb towards UFC title contention at UFC 329.

The UFC's International Fight Week card is stacked from top to bottom this summer. Conor McGregor makes his long-awaited return to the Octagon after a five-year layoff to face former featherweight and BMF champion Max Holloway in a rematch 13 years in the making.

Elsewhere, Paddy Pimblett will look to return to winning ways against Benoit Saint-Denis, while his teammate Luke Riley also makes the walk at UFC 329 when he faces former Bellator contender Kai Kamaka III.

Kavanagh, who has burst onto the UFC scene and now holds a 3-1 promotional record, is set to face Brandon Royval as he continues his pursuit of the top end of the flyweight rankings.

Kavanagh riding career-best momentum

Kavanagh heads into the bout with serious momentum behind him. Last time out, he travelled to Mexico on late notice to face former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno. The Londoner produced the biggest win of his career to date, defeating Moreno over five rounds in front of a hostile home crowd.

The performance not only earned him a Performance of the Night bonus but also firmly announced him as a genuine contender at 125 pounds.

Before making his name in the UFC, Kavanagh built his reputation in Cage Warriors. One of his standout performances came against the then-undefeated Ryan Morgan, whom he finished in the third round during his promotional debut.

Kavanagh later swapped Cage Warriors' yellow gloves for the UFC's light blue pair, introducing himself to a wider audience with a devastating knockout victory over An Tuan Ho on Dana White's Contender Series.

A long-time member of Great Britain Top Team, Kavanagh trains alongside some of the UK's top talent, including fellow Englishman and UFC veteran Nathaniel Wood. Speaking exclusively to Combat Evolved from the gym in Mitcham, Kavanagh discussed his upcoming clash with Royval.

"To be the best, you've got to fight the best"

"He’s good. He is ranked number four for a reason. He has been around the top for a very long time, but that is exactly what I want. I have said it many times: to be the best, you've got to fight the best.

"He is up there and I am willing to fight him. It is going to be an exciting fight."

Royval looking to bounce back

Royval holds a 7-5 UFC record and has earned numerous Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses throughout his career. However, 2025 saw the Colorado native lose both of his outings.

The first came against current UFC flyweight champion Joshua Van via decision before suffering a first-round stoppage defeat to Manuel Kape, who trapped Royval against the cage before unleashing a relentless barrage.

Royval will be looking to return to winning ways, and should he defeat Kavanagh, a potential rematch with Kape would not be out of the question.

However, Kavanagh remains full of confidence.

"I am going to go in there and do me. I am going to win the fight."

A title shot on the horizon?

A victory over Royval would move Kavanagh into a new tier of the flyweight division, alongside the likes of Alexandre Pantoja, Manuel Kape and Tatsuro Taira as he edges closer to a potential title opportunity against Joshua Van.

If the Londoner can produce another statement performance, particularly with a spectacular knockout finish, it may not be unrealistic to see him firmly enter the UFC title conversation by the end of 2026.

A win over a proven contender like Royval would represent the biggest statement of Kavanagh's career so far, and perhaps bring UFC gold one step closer.

Henry Elwell

Henry Elwell is a sports writer based in Lincoln, UK, specialising in combat sports coverage across both boxing and mixed martial arts. Alongside his writing, Henry has gained experience presenting boxing events, attending press conferences and hosting media events, building a broad range of skills during his time at the University of Lincoln. He also played a key role in the University of Lincoln's coverage of Lincoln City F.C. during the club's title-winning 2025/26 campaign. His work included writing match reports and feature articles, as well as interviewing the team's manager and numerous first-team players.