Caio Borralho vs. Israel Adesanya in February?
In a recent interview with MMA Junkie‘s Mike Bohn, Borralho revealed he’s been in talks with the UFC about being Adesanya’s return opponent.
“I want to fight Izzy. We are in talks with UFC, but nothing confirmed yet,” Borralho said. “But that’s the fight we want. I think that’s the fight that makes sense. Adesanya already fought all the guys from (the) top five. Just me and (Nassourdine) Imavov didn’t fight, but Imavov didn’t (have) a good fight last time, so I think they’re thinking about me. Let’s see what the UFC wants…
“A lot of respect for Izzy, you know. I want to fight the best in the world, and I think he’s a legend, one of the best in the world. I want to test myself against him.” (h/t MMA Junkie)
Borralho also admitted that he wants a five-rounder against Adesanya.
As of this writing, the UFC hasn’t announced any news regarding Borralho and Adesanya’s returns. A title rematch between Du Plessis and Sean Strickland has been tossed around as a potential UFC 312 headliner.
Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 308 on Saturday is another big-name middleweight matchup to watch. It’s uncertain if the winner will get a title shot for their next fight, opening the door to Borralho and others.
Borralho defeated the likes of Paul Craig, Abus Magomedov, and Armen Petrosyan after earning a UFC contract in 2021. A matchup with Adesanya would do wonders to build his international profile.