Alexandre Pantoja decisions Brandon Royval in UFC 296 co-main event

A flyweight championship bout served as the UFC 296 co-main event on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas with champion Alexandre Pantoja putting his title on the line for the first time taking on second ranked Brandon Royval.  

Pantoja entered the bout riding a four-fight winning steak while Royval enter the octagon on a three-fight winning streak.  The match-up promised excitement and delivered.  

Pantoja pressed forward with punches, but Royval stayed out of reach and avoided a takedown.  They exchanged leg kicks.  Pantoja landed to the body with two kicks.  Pantoja took Royval down and moved to half guard.  Pantoja stood and Royval landed an up kick.  Pantoja drops back down into half guard.  Royval tried to take a leg, but Pantoja advanced to the mount position.  Royval kicked Pantoja off and get to his feet.  The round ended with Pantoja landing a leg kick.  The opening round went to the champion.  

Pantoja lands a right hand to start the second.  Royval answered with a knee.  Royval closed the distance and was taken down.  Pantoja moved to half guard.  Royval delivered short punches from the bottom.  Pantoja moved to side control.  He trapped Royval’s arm but Royval gets it free and moved back to half guard.  With a minute left in the round, Pantoja landed a right hand that staggered Royval.  Pantoja took Royval down again and stands as the bell sounds.  The second round went to Pantoja.  

In the third, Pantoja came forward.  He took Royval down 30 seconds into the round.  He advances to mount.  Royval rolled but Pantoja stayed on top.  Royval gained top position in a scramble but Pantoja quickly got to his feet.  Pantoja takes a deep breath.  He worked to get Royval down again, but Royval escaped the position.  Royval landed a right hand.  Pantoja answers with a right hand of his own.  Royval connects with a double jab and connects with a knee to the body.  Pantoja quickly took Royval down.  The round ended with Pantoja in top position.  

Pantoja closed the distance and takes Royval down in the opening moments of the fourth. He mounts Royval along the cage.  Royval rolls and Pantoja took his back and applied a body triangle.  Royval rolls but Pantoja stays on his back.  He worked to sink in a rear-naked choke, but Royval defended the submission attempt.  Royval scrambles and gains top position with 30 seconds remaining in the round.  He delivered punches and hammer fists but lost the round.

Royval connects with jabs and right hands on a fatigued Pantoja.  Pantoja delivers leg kicks.  Royval continued to land right hands.  Royval letting it all go in the last round.  Pantoja goes for a takedown after absorbing a right hand.  He got Royval down.  Royval desperately tried to scramble but Pantoja kept to position and moved to mount.  Royval gets out of the mount but the round ended.  

The judges scored the fight for Pantoja by unanimous decision.  The scorecard read 50-45, 5045, 49-46,