DENVER (KDVR) — Brandon Royval is a fighter. He’s also one of the best 125-pound mixed martial arts brawlers to ever step into the UFC octagon.

And he is quite literally fighting to make his dreams come true and win the UFC flyweight title.

“I want to be the first Denver-born champion,” Royval recently told FOX31. “I just want to bring the belt back to Denver and show everybody that it's possible.”

But just months ago, that seemed impossible. Royval was training when he got hit in the head.

“I got a concussion,” he said. "I remember everything. It’s not like I lost consciousness or anything. I had symptoms two weeks later and I was starting to get scared. I was having continuous headaches, continuous loss of words and brain fogginess."

He also showed those same symptoms during his non-contact strength and conditioning workouts at Barwis in Englewood.

“I'd be in a conversation with him and he'd just literally be like ... what did you say?” said Royval’s coach, Jake Daniel. “He didn't like the lights. The music had to be a very low volume, even though we had a full house. It was kind of scary.”

To be able to get back in the octagon and chase his championship dreams, Royval began fighting in a different battle - this one to heal his brain. He took three months off, worked with three neurologists and didn't spar again until the doctors said it was safe.

“At the end of the day, it's my livelihood and that's the most important,” Royval said. “Life goes on after fighting. Fighting is such a short career.”

Royval’s career isn't close to being over just yet. He's won 5 of his 6 last fights and beaten a former champ. His only loss in the last four years is when he fought for the belt and came up short. And with one more win, Royval could get the chance to avenge that and make his championship dreams become a reality.

“I still believe I’m the best in the world,” he said. “I still believe I can take anybody out. I still got that fight in me, and with every last of my breath, I’m going to go for it.”