Lone'er Kavanagh believes his UFC 329 showdown with Brandon Royval at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas could be his springboard into a flyweight title shot.
Kavanagh meets Royval on the main card and sees the matchup as the kind of step that can push him into contention. With a 10-1 professional record and a 3-1 run in the UFC, he has already gone five rounds in his first UFC main event in February as a long-shot underdog against former two-time world champion Brandon Moreno.
"I think it puts me in good stead for a title challenge, you know?" Kavanagh said, pointing to the level of opposition he has already faced. "I fought Brandon Moreno who is a former two-time world champion. I'm fighting Brandon Rovyal who has fought at that level. The last person who fought him got a title contender shot."
Current flyweight champion Joshua Van is described as holding the belt with Alexandre Pantoja awaiting a rematch, while Manel Kape is identified as another top contender making his own case for a title bout.
Kavanagh, however, is keeping his focus narrow despite enjoying growing support. "Obviously, it's really nice growing a fanbase and I feel like I've got really supportive fans," he said. "For me, I don't focus on that too much. It's just what's next and how do I get to where I want to be."
The Irishman welcomed the matchup with Royval from the moment it was offered. "Oh, I was excited (when I was offered this fight)," Kavanagh said. "He's a great fighter. He's an exciting fighter. I think it's going to be an exciting fight, so I'm looking forward to it."
