Israel Adesanya may have his first opponent lined up for his post-title fight era, and it’s none other than ‘Fighting Nerd’ Caio Borralho.
The UFC may have an opponent in mind for Israel Adesanya when the promotion returns to Sydney, Australia in February 2025.
UFC 312 on February 9th was just announced last week and still doesn’t have any fights booked, but it’s always a solid expectation that many of the top Oceanic fighters will end up on the card. Israel Adesanya has headlined three of the four pay-per-view events held in Australia since the pandemic, and he’ll compete in Sydney again according to Caio Borralho.
“I want to fight Izzy, we are in talks with UFC,” Borralho told MMA Junkie in Abu Dhabi. “Nothing confirmed yet, but that’s the fight we want. I think that’s the fight that makes sense.”
“I want to fight Adesanya. I want to fight Izzy. We are in talks with the UFC.”
Caio Borralho reveals a matchup against former champ Adesanya is in the works.
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“Adesanya already fought all the guys from top five. Just me and [Nassourdine] Imavov he didn’t fight, but Imavov didn’t do a good fight last time, so I think they’re thinking about me. Let’s see what the UFC wants.”
No. 2 ranked Adesanya has indeed fought everyone in the top five other than Imavov and Borralho, and most in the top ten outside of Brendan Allen and Roman Dolidze. Borralho is the bigger name in the top five and has had Izzy’s name on his lips for months now. In Abu Dhabi, he promised he wouldn’t try to eke out a decision against “The Last Stylebender.”
“If we fought, I’m going with a hundred percent power,” he said. “I’m going with a hundred percent trying to finish him, and I will do it.”
Borralho is 17-1-1 with a perfect 7-0 record in the UFC. His most recent win was a Fight of the Night decision over Jared Cannonier in the main event of an August UFC Apex card. Adesanya is 24-4 and 13-4 in the UFC. He’s 1-3 over his last four with title fight losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis in his last two bouts.