UFC 317 Odds & Picks: Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van (2025)
The T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas is hosting another pay-per-view UFC event. UFC 317 features two title fights that are sure not to disappoint. The star power is heavy for this card, and there are great matchups from top to bottom. Ilia Topuria vacated his featherweight belt to move up to lightweight and will face challenger Charles Oliveira. Alexandre Pantoja will put his belt on the line in the co-main event against Kai Kara-France. The atmosphere is always electric in Las Vegas, and the crowd will be packed early in the night for the plethora of entertaining matchups. The early prelims begin at 6:30 p.m. ET on UFC Fight Pass, and the prelims will be on ESPN at 8:00 p.m. The main card gets underway at 10:00 p.m. on ESPN+. Here are our top UFC 317 picks and predictions for Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van.
Get instant alerts when a line reaches your target via the BettingPros App >>
UFC 317 Picks: Brandon Royval vs. Joshua Van
(Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook)
Brandon Royval (-105)
Brandon Royval has won two fights in a row, both main events. He beat Tatsuro Taira and Brandon Moreno, both by split decision in five-round fights. Alexandre Pantoja beat him in a title fight by unanimous decision in December 2023. Royval has a professional record of 17-7 and is 7-3 in the UFC.
Royval lands 4.46 significant strikes and absorbs 3.06 significant strikes per minute. Royval lands with 39% accuracy and defends 47% of significant strikes. He averages 0.75 takedowns landed per 15 minutes, with an accuracy rate of 75%. Royval has defended 45% of takedowns in the UFC and averages 1.2 submissions attempted per 15 minutes.
Joshua Van (-115)
Joshua Van is on a four-fight winning streak and has worked his way into the top 15 rankings of the Flyweight Division. His last win was a third-round knockout victory over Bruno Silva only three weeks ago. His professional record is 14-2 and 7-1 in the UFC.
Van lands an impressive 8.20 significant strikes and absorbs 5.26 significant strikes per minute. He averages 0.96 takedowns landed per 15 minutes, with an accuracy rate of 63%. Van has defended 81% of takedowns throughout his eight-fight UFC career.
Prediction
Brandon Royval was supposed to fight Manel Kape, but Kape pulled out due to a foot injury. Van is stepping in on three weeks’ notice after winning on UFC 316 at the beginning of June. He is the 12th-ranked flyweight. Royval is the top-ranked fighter in the division and will put his ranking on the line in a tough matchup.
Van currently holds the record for the most significant strikes landed per minute in UFC history. His output is absurd, and this is a three-round fight, which favors him. He has not fought five rounds in the UFC, while Royval has fought three consecutive five-round fights.
Royval is a tricky fighter to game plan against due to his wild movements and unpredictability. He is highly aggressive and has excellent submission skills. The 23-year-old Van will have to be smart, especially on the mat. He has a lot of experience as a young fighter, but Royval has significantly more experience against opponents of a much higher level.
Van likely has the advantage when standing. He is at a three-inch reach disadvantage but has the speed advantage. He overwhelms his opponents with his boxing combinations and unprecedented output. Van mixes things up well with his leg kicks and body shots, which will be pivotal against Royval.
The chaos Royval brings into the octagon may not work as well against a well-rounded striker like Van. This matchup is great for Van, especially in a three-round fight. He can win a close, fast-paced fight and move himself into the top five of the flyweight rankings.
Bet: Joshua Van Moneyline (-115)