Caio Borralho wants to fight Israel Adesanya before title shot: "Not the same focused guy he was before"
Caio Borralho, fresh off a dominant victory over Jared Cannonier at UFC Vegas 96, has set his sights on a showdown with former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya before challenging for the title.
The Brazilian mixed martial artist's impressive performance against Cannonier propelled him to the fifth spot in the UFC middleweight rankings, positioning him as a potential contender for the championship belt.
While Borralho has expressed interest in a title fight with Dricus du Plessis, he believes that a bout with Adesanya would be a valuable stepping stone:
“Maybe [Adesanya’s] not the same focused guy he was before, but he’s still the same guy with the same technique, skill and dominance…I think Adesanya might be the best fight for me right now. If I had to choose one more before the title, I think it would be Adesanya and then the title.”
Check out Caio Borralho's comments below:
Borralho's assessment of Adesanya's current state is likely influenced by the former champion's recent loss to du Plessis at UFC 305.
Robert Whittaker suggests Caio Borralho as Israel Adesanya's next opponent
Former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker also believes that Caio Borralho would be a suitable opponent for Israel Adesanya following the latter's recent loss to Dricus du Plessis.
Adesanya, who has experienced mixed results in his last few fights, is now in a position where he needs to re-establish himself as a top contender in the division. Whittaker, who has previously faced Adesanya in the octagon, believes that a matchup with Borralho would be a challenging yet intriguing test for the Nigerian-born fighter.
Speaking to Submission Radio, he said:
“Maybe, I think Adesanya is in a position where he needs to fight a guy like [Borralho]. He needs to retain his place. I am sure Caio wants to jump at the opportunity.”
Check out Robert Whittaker's comments on the potential matchup below (1:13):