Imavov Triumphs: Dominant Victory and Middleweight Title Contender
The UFC middleweight division has taken a new turn this Saturday, with Nassourdine Imavov solidifying himself as a strong title contender after an impressive unanimous decision victory over Caio Borralho in Paris. In front of his audience, Imavov (17-4) added his fifth consecutive victory, with the three judges awarding him the victory by 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46. This victory could catapult Imavov into a championship fight against Khamzat Chimaev. The UFC has scheduled another high-profile middleweight matchup in October between Anthony Hernandez (15-2) and Reinier de Ridder (22-2). That fight could define Chimaev’s next opponent.Immediately after his victory, Imavov expressed his wish to have finished Borralho (17-2) earlier, but vehemently defended his candidacy for the next title fight.Considering the circumstances, I am very happy with my performance. In my right foot, a tendon or something like that came loose. It was very painful. I would have liked to get to the end, but it is what it is.
Nassourdine Imavov
According to UFC statistics, Imavov slightly outstruck Borralho in total strikes (100-90), but his offense was much more accurate and damaging. Imavov evaded Borralho’s strikes and landed counterattacks throughout the night. He maintained a strong presence in the center of the octagon, cutting off Borralho’s exits. Furthermore, he defended all five of Borralho’s takedown attempts. This is Borralho’s first loss in the UFC and his first loss overall since 2015.I am next. Borralho was undefeated for 10 years. I just beat him, and with style too. I need to be next.
Nassourdine Imavov
It was a disappointing night for The Fighting Nerds, the Brazilian MMA team that has gained notoriety in recent years with viral knockouts and a series of performance bonuses. In addition to Borralho’s defeat, lightweight Mauricio Ruffy (12-2) also suffered his first defeat in the UFC. Ruffy, 29, was outmatched by Frenchman Benoit Saint Denis, who dominated him on the ground before submitting him with a rear-naked choke in the second round. The French fighters went 5-0 on Saturday’s card. Veteran light heavyweight Paul Craig (17-10-1), from Scotland, announced his retirement after a TKO loss to Modestas Bukauskas.Nassourdine was simply the better man today. He was very fast, as I expected. I couldn’t attack much. I wanted to make it entertaining for the fans and the UFC, so I tried to strike with one of the best strikers in the world. I think I need to recover my adrenaline. I need something, not motivation, but I was without adrenaline and couldn’t recover it in this fight.
Caio Borralho
