Brandon Royval withdrew from his scheduled UFC Vegas 102 fight against Manel Kape due to two recent concussions, prioritizing his long-term health and recovery.
Brandon Royval, unfortunately, had to pull out of his scheduled fight against Manel Kape due to a couple of concussions. He was set to headline UFC Vegas 102 at the APEX on March 1. But, Royval recently shared why he had to make this tough decision.
In a heartfelt YouTube video, Royval explained that head injuries disrupted his training. “First and foremost, I’ve fought so many times injured,” he admitted. Broken hands, torn labrums, and MCLs—he’s battled through them all for less money and less significant events. Yet, pulling out of a main event for the No. 1 spot? That was a hard pill to swallow.
A few months back, Royval suffered a concussion. Nothing too wild—just being cautious. Once recovered, he accepted the fight with Kape, whom he respects as a striker. Training was intense; maybe too intense. Another concussion hit him harder than before. Over a week later, he’s still feeling its effects.
The weight cut, Kape’s striking prowess, and the nature of the match made withdrawing the safest option. Royval emphasized the need to recover properly before returning to give fans his best performance.
Apologetic yet resolute, he stated, “I’m sorry a million times over.” But you only get one brain. And brain cells? They don’t heal like other injuries do.
Royval is on a two-fight win streak since his flyweight title attempt against Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 296. Wins over Brandon Moreno and Tatsuro Taira in 2024 have kept his momentum alive. The bout with Kape was unofficially seen as a No. 1 contender fight.
Training now is minimal—just bike rides while managing lingering concussion symptoms. Having back-to-back concussions has made him reconsider when he’ll return to full contact training.
Eager to prove himself again, Royval assured fans he’s not done fighting. He aims to deliver thrilling bouts but must tread carefully regarding brain health. He hopes for a swift return.
In Royval’s absence, rising flyweight prospect Asu Almabayev steps up to face Kape in the main event. Almabayev holds the No. 8 spot in the UFC flyweight rankings with an impressive 21-2 record and remains undefeated in his four UFC appearances.