Caio Borralho didn’t get his want of combating former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya.
Streaking contender Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) informed MMA Junkie this previous October that was in discussions to face Adesanya (24-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) subsequent. Nevertheless, Adesanya wound up getting booked towards Nassourdine Imavov (15-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) Feb. 1 within the UFC Struggle Night time 250 headliner at ANB Area in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A disenchanted Borralho defined what he thinks occurred.
“I feel the UFC provided Izzy two fights: me or Imavov,” Borralho stated on the “Overdogs Podcast.” “After which, he instantly posted a clip learning Imavov’s tape, and I used to be like, ‘Come on, bro.’ I despatched a message to Izzy, and was like, ‘Bro, why you selecting that?’
“He was like, ‘Bro, we’re going to battle subsequent yr. We’re going to bop subsequent yr for the belt.’ It’s OK, I respect you for those who select that. I feel he selected proper. I feel Imavov is a greater battle for him, and I feel Izzy is the favourite on this battle.”
Borralho thinks Adesanya’s foremost benefit is available in his expertise of combating championship rounds on quite a few events. Imavov has been booked in three five-round UFC foremost occasions – a unanimous choice loss to Sean Strickland, a majority choice win over Roman Dolidze, and a fourth-round TKO end of Jared Cannonier.
“Imavov, I feel he’s good and all that, however I don’t assume he has the cardio for 5 rounds,” Borralho stated. “I don’t assume he has one of the best mentality for 5 rounds. He will get pissed off lots into the battle, and he fought a three-round battle with Brendan Allen in Paris and it was like a boring battle.
“They had been drained because the first spherical, and I feel if he does the identical factor with Izzy, Izzy goes to select him aside. I feel he’s good at combating guys which can be shorter than him. I don’t assume he’s good when he’s combating guys who’re taller than him.”
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