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UFC flyweight contender Brandon Royval says the promotion passed him over for a main event in 2022 because another fighter had a bigger social media following.
Royval, currently ranked third at 125 pounds, told Ariel Helwani that matchmakers explained he would not headline a card that year because a female competitor had more followers. "I remember they didn't book me for a main event and their reasoning was — I think it was Alexa Grasso or whoever they boosted in front of me — they were like, 'She has way more followers than you,'" he said, per MMA Mania. "Askar Askarov pulled out of the fight so it didn't matter, but I was pissed."
From prelims to main events after UFC 329 war
The incident Royval referenced dates to UFC Vegas 62 in late 2022, originally set to be headlined by Sean Strickland and Jared Cannonier. After Strickland withdrew, the promotion elevated Grasso's bout with Viviane Araujo to the main event. Royval was scheduled to face Askarov on the same card but was removed from the lineup entirely when his opponent pulled out. At UFC Kansas City months later, Royval was placed on the prelims despite being the second-highest-ranked fighter on the bill. Following a knockout win, he shouted that he should never be relegated to the early card again. Dana White later conceded the matchmakers had made a mistake.
Since losing a title fight in 2023, Royval has headlined three UFC cards and earned two spots on numbered-event main cards. He collected another Fight of the Night bonus at UFC 329 two weeks ago, stopping prospect Lone'er Kavanagh by third-round submission. Royval now has 149,000 Instagram followers and has never faced anyone outside the top 15 since his octagon debut against Tim Elliott.
Reported via:
- MMA Mania — Top-ranked Flyweight contender reveals UFC uses social media followers to book main events – ‘I was pissed’
