Two all-action flyweights collide in Las Vegas when former title challenger Brandon Royval throws down with fast-rising prospect Lone’er Kavanagh on the main card of UFC 329.
One of the most entertaining fighters in the entire division, Royval is in desperate need of a victory after coming up short in his last two outings.
Kavanagh, meanwhile, enters this fight fresh off a career-best win over former UFC champion Brandon Moreno after five grueling rounds in Mexico City.
Current UFC odds have Kavanagh as the -225 betting favorite for this matchup, and I am in firm agreement with the number.
Find out more in my Brandon Royval vs. Lone’er Kavanagh predictions and free betting picks for Saturday, July 11.
Who will win Brandon Royval vs Lone'er Kavanagh: Kavanagh (-225)
Both of these men are at very different points in their careers. Lone'er Kavanagh is 27 years old and coming off a career-best win, while Brandon Royval is 33 and has dropped his last two contests. If this matchup were made even just a year ago, this would be a very tempting line on the underdog, but given that Kavanagh is still improving fight-to-fight while his opponent continues to show regression, it's a bad sign.
Royval has been knocked down four times in his UFC career, and this doesn't bode well against a skilled striker like Kavanagh. Without the wrestling offense needed to consistently get this fight to the ground, I expect the aging American to be forced into a standup battle that he no longer has the durability to thrive in.
Nothing is ever easy in flyweight fights, but so long as Kavanagh continues his upward trend, he'll win this fight on Saturday.
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
Brandon Royval vs Lone'er Kavanagh best bet: Kavanagh by TKO (+210)
All four of Kavanagh’s UFC opponents have been very durable fighters, so it’s unfair to label him as a non-puncher just yet. Before joining the promotion, Kavanagh held a 72% finish rate on the regional scene and was signed after delivering a devastating first-round knockout in front of Dana White on the Contender Series.
Royval is coming off the first real KO loss of his career, but he’s also been knocked down three other times in his UFC career, including once against lowly regarded puncher Matt Schnell. The writing has been on the wall for years, but the 33-year-old finally seems to be at that point where he can’t rely on walking through strikes anymore.
COVERS INTEL: Brandon Royval has absorbed 470 significant strikes in his last five fights, the most of anyone on the UFC 329 card.Brandon Royval vs Lone'er Kavanagh odds
 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Method of Victory | Brandon Royval | Lone'er Kavanagh |
| To win outright | +170 | -225 |
| To win by KO/TKO | +1250 | +210 |
| To win by decision | +390 | +145 |
| To win by submission | +625 | +2100 |
| Total rounds | Over 2.5 -190 |
Under 2.5 +145 |
Odds as of 7-10.
Both of these lines are already at their "Buy-Up-To" limit as far as I'm concerned.
I'm okay with Kavanagh at -225 straight up, but anything more than that is too much risk for a flyweight fight.
Considering Kavanagh has no finish wins in four trips to the Octagon, winning by TKO at +210 is also likely a bit steamed for a knockout prop.
Bet on the UFC at BET99!
One of Canada's best sportsbooks for UFC betting, join BET99 and get up to $800 bonus bets back if your first bet doesn’t win when using our BET99 promo code COVERS99
*Not available in Ontario
Brandon Royval vs Lone'er Kavanagh tale of the tape
| Brandon Royval | Lone'er Kavanagh | |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Age | 27 |
| 5-foot-9 | Height | 5-foot-6 |
| Flyweight | Weight Class | Flyweight |
| 68 inches | Reach | 67 inches |
| 17-9 | Record | 10-1 |
| 4 | Wins by KO | 4 |
| 9 | Wins by submission | 1 |
Kavanagh's latest win over Brandon Moreno earned him the first Fight of the Night honor of his career.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
