Preparing to face late-notice opponent Joshua Van at UFC 317, Brandon Royval once again finds himself listed as an underdog by some oddsmakers. This is a familiar scenario for Royval, who, despite his position as the UFC`s number one ranked contender in the division, believes he is consistently overlooked by fellow fighters, fans, and the broader mixed martial arts community.
I think I`m the most disrespected fighter in the UFC. I think it`s been shown over and over again. Anytime a money line comes out, I think I`ve been favorite against Matt Schnell and never again in the UFC; my whole entire career it`s been that way. LFA, I was always the underdog. Really nothing`s different, but I feel like I get continuously disrespected by the fans and whoever the odds maker is.
Speaking during the UFC 317 media day, Royval elaborated on his perception of being undervalued. He highlighted that in his entire UFC career, he was only favored once (against Matt Schnell) and consistently held the underdog status during his time in LFA. He feels this pattern persists and specifically attributes the lack of respect he experiences to fans and those setting the betting odds.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely