Caio Borralho sees UFC middleweight title implications with a win over Nassourdine Imavov but knows his performance has to deliver.
Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) takes on Imavov (16-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) in a pivotal clash at 185 pounds in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 258 (ESPN+) main event at Accor Arena in Paris.
On the other side of the 185-pound bracket, Reinier de Ridder will take on Anthony Hernandez in the UFC Fight Night 262 headliner in Vancouver. Borralho thinks his fight with Imavov is the frontrunner as the title eliminator to face recently crowned champion Khamzat Chimaev.
“I think that’s the fight that makes sense (as No. 1 contender),” Borralho told MMA Junkie Radio. “Me and Imavov, we just need to go in there and don’t do a boring fight. That’s all. I think it doesn’t matter how the fight ends, if it’s a finish or it’s a decision by a dominant or great fight, I think whoever wins is going to be the next one in line.”
Beef aside, Borralho acknowledges that he has a stern test ahead of him in Imavov.
“Yeah, that’s how I’m preparing for this fight. I’m preparing to fight the best guy in the world,” Borralho said. “If he doesn’t show up like that, it’s just profit for me. But I’m taking this fight as I take all my last fights – all the fights that I have right now are the biggest fights of my life, the most important fight of my life, and the hardest fight of my life. So I need to prepare properly for this fight. I’m taking him very seriousl., I know that he’s a phenomenal athlete, and I’m preparing for that.”
