Caio Borralho wants to use Israel Adesanya as stepping stone to undisputed UFC title

Rising middleweight contender Caio Borralho wants to fight Israel Adesanya before aiming for UFC middleweight title.

Caio Borralho wants to use Israel Adesanya as stepping stone to undisputed UFC title

Caio Borralho eyes matchup against Israel Adesanya (Image via Imago/X)

Long-time champion Israel Adesanya is now out of the title discussion after his loss against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. A new breed of middleweights has started to take over at the moment. Caio Borralho is a rising star in the UFC’s middleweight division. He has recently targeted the two-time middleweight champions. Here is what happened:

Caio Borralho recently secured an impressive win over Jared Cannonier at UFC Vegas 96. This boosted him to the #5 spot in the middleweight rankings. In a recent conversation with Laerte Viana, Borralho revealed that he has set his sights on Israel Adesanya. The Brazilian fighter sees him as an important stepping stone on his path to becoming the champion.

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.
Caio Borralho via @laertevianamma
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Borralho acknowledged that Adesanya might be the prime version from (2018-22), especially after his recent back-to-back setbacks. First, Sean Strickland dominated ‘The Last Stylebender.’ Now, he lost via submission for the first time in his career against DDP. Nevertheless, Borralho still respects Adesanya’s skills, which were showcased during his UFC 305 title fight.

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The Brazilian is on an undefeated winning streak in the UFC. The win over Cannonier made it seven straight wins for Borralho. The Brazilian fighter has title aspirations, but Adesanya might take a longer break. As such, waiting for Adesanya might not be the best for Borralho. Nevertheless, the MMA community cannot stop themselves from talking about the potential matchup.

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Robert Whittaker speaks on potential fight between Israel Adesanya and Caio Borralho

Former champion Robert Whittaker has recently shared his thoughts on a potential fight between Israel Adesanya and Caio Borralho. In an interview with Submission Radio, Whittaker mentioned that this fight against the rising middleweight contender could be crucial for Adesanya. 

Robert Whittaker's opinion on Caio Borralho vs Israel Adesanya matchup
Robert Whittaker’s opinion on Caio Borralho vs Israel Adesanya matchup (Image via Imago)

Whittaker once had to regain his position in the middleweight division after a shocking loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290. After taking some time away, he returned to the win column against Paulo Costa. Soon, he faced a dangerous rising star in Ikram Aliskerov and destroyed the Russian fighter to regain his standing in the middleweight division. Whittaker believes Adesanya should do the same.

Maybe, I think Adesanya is in a position where he needs to fight a guy like that. He needs to retain his place. I am sure Caio wants to jump at the opportunity.
Robert Whittaker via Submission Radio
YouTube video

Whittaker also praised Adesanya’s performance in his last fight despite the loss. The former champion suggested that a bout with Borralho could help Adesanya regain his momentum, similar to how Dustin Poirier did in the lightweight division by defeating Benoit Saint-Denis. Only time will tell if Adesanya ever faces Borralho.

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