Latest news with #UFCParis
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Caio Borralho claims he's new UFC 319 main event backup; Nassourdine Imavov resonds
According to Caio Borralho, UFC 319 has a new backup plan. In the headliner of the Aug. 16 pay-per-view event at United Center in Chicago (ESPN+ pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+), Dricus Du Plessis is set to defend his middleweight title against Khamzat Chimaev. Current UFC-ranked No. 1 contender, Nassourdine Imavov, was initially set to weigh in as the backup, but plans have changed, according to Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC). "I told you, Imavov is not the guy that make the rules in this f*cking room, and I told everyone that," Borralho told Real MMA Today. "Now, I'm the backup from the fight against Dricus and Chimaev, 'cause they know I'm the guy that they can call and I can save the f*cking show. "I can go there, being ready with will of getting this f*cking belt if this opportunity comes to me – and they know I'm the guy they can call and do this sh*t." Imavov caught wind of Borralho's claim, and issued a reply on social media. "Backup? 😂 @BorralhoCaio good only to take my leftovers, you'll always come after, you'll always stay behind me. It's your destiny!" Imavov wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Borralho added a quick reply, "The n1 contender? 😂😂😂😂😂😂 ok bro" Borralho and Imavov (16-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) are currently set to face each other in the main event of UFC Paris on Sept. 6 at Accor Arena. In the unlikely event that backup services are needed, their matchup could be in jeopardy. Regardless of what happens, Borralho promises to be ready for either fight. "They already tried to book me and Imavov on International Fight Week, and I said yes right away, and he said no," Borralho said. "So how they gonna trust this motherf*cker to be a f*cking backup? He's not the one; I'm the one. And I'm ready, I'm the backup. I'll be there in Chicago. I'm gonna make weight. If this f*cking fight doesn't happen, I'm going three weeks after to Paris, and I'm gonna f*cking kill this guy, and put my name on the No. 1 contender. "... If something happens to both of the guys, it can be Chimaev, it can be Dricus. It's a big fight, so they need a backup. I'm the one. They called, I answer. I'm ready. I've been studying all these guys. Dricus, Chimaev, Imavov, all these guys. So, I know as a Fighting Nerd, all the strategy and the tactics that I need to have to win every one of them, and that's what I do. I'm a Fighting Nerd, I do my homework, and when the test comes, I always take A+."
USA Today
22-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Fares Ziam responds to surprise criticism of UFC Paris fight booking
Fares Ziam is aware of everyone's reaction to him drawing unranked Kaue Fernandes at UFC Paris, but he has an explanation. Ziam (17-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) meets Fernandes (10-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) in a lightweight bout on Sept. 6 from Accor Arena. When his fight was announced, the comments section was showered with criticism toward the UFC's matchmaking and why Ziam hasn't been matched up with a ranked opponent. The 27-year-old previously told MMA Junkie that he'd rather have one more fight before taking on ranked opposition, but many thought he deserved a bigger name than Fernandes. Ziam addressed those comments. "Not very (surprised) because we talked with my manager, Ali Abdelaziz, we said maybe it's not the timing to fight a top-15 ranked guy," Ziam told MMA Junkie. "I need to work on my wrestling, work on my jiu-jitsu, everything. I need to get better, I need to evolve. It's OK, five-fight win streak is good, but I need more." While Ziam has impressed in his winning streak, including a Knockout of the Year contender over Matt Frevola, he wants to tighten up certain aspects of his ground game first. "Because I fought unranked guys and they took my back, they took the mount, they took top position," Ziam said. "And if a ranked guy takes (my back), it's not going to be like my last fight. I need to evolve in this, and I need to prove that I'm ready for the top 15. "Mike Davis, Matt Frevola, Claudio Puelles, those three guys took my back, had the mount position, too much top position. If you do that with a guy like Renato Moicano, Beneil Dariush, or someone like that, it's not good." Fernandes is riding some momentum after back-to-back wins over Mohammad Yahya and Guram Kutateladze. "He's a dangerous fighter, he has a good calf kick, he's dangerous – but honestly, I think I'm better everywhere," Ziam said of Fernandes. "So for me, it's a good fight, but he's still dangerous. I think with Kaue, I can do wrestling, striking, grappling. I can do anything, but just be careful for his calf kicks and his counters because he's a counter guy. So yeah, I can wrestle this fight."
USA Today
21-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Reinier de Ridder ready to step in for Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 if necessary
ABU DHABI – Reinier de Ridder plans on keeping a busy schedule if things fall into place for him. De Ridder (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) takes on former UFC middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (26-8 MMA, 17-6 UFC) in the UFC on ABC 9 main event July 26 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. De Ridder hopes to outbid the winner of Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho in the UFC Paris headliner on Sept. 6. "I'm leaning towards Imavov in that one just because he's so complete, so relaxed in there," De Ridder told MMA Junkie. "He seems to be very much in control, but hopefully it's just a boring fight, and nobody wants to watch, nothing happens. That will be ideal." The former two-division ONE champion has finished all three of his UFC opponents and knows he'll likely need one more definitive performance to cement his spot as No. 1 contender. "Hopefully if I can do well, it all depends on how the fight goes," De Ridder said. "Like a win is not enough. I need to finish him. I need to finish him early, hopefully spectacularly, and as I said, we all hope Imavov and Borralho is boring, goes five rounds, nothing happens. That would be perfect, or maybe Khamzat pulls out last minute and they give me a call. We'll see." Khamzat Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) challenges middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis (23-2 MMA, 9-0 UFC) in the UFC 319 main event on Aug. 16 from United Center in Chicago. Entering his fifth fight in less than a year, De Ridder wants to keep the ball rolling and will be ready to fill in for Chimaev if he withdraws – but would rather not weigh in as a backup. "I'll be ready to fight again, or as I said, I might be ready to step in last minute if necessary," De Ridder said. "So, we'll see what happens. Weighing in is the hardest part, so hopefully not weighing in at all. We'll see."
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Fares Ziam gets home fight vs. Kaue Fernandes at UFC Paris on Sept. 6
Fares Ziam won't get the top 15-ranked UFC lightweight he was looking for. Instead, Ziam (17-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) draws rising contender Kaue Fernandes (10-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) on Sept. 6 at Accor Arena in Paris, promotion officials announced Thursday. Winner of seven of his past eight fights, Ziam extended his winning streak to five when he defeated Mike Davis by unanimous decision at UFC Fight Night 250 in February. Prior to that, he scored a Knockout of the Year contender over Matt Frevola when he flattened him with a knee to earn his first bonus at UFC Fight Night 243. After dropping his UFC debut to Marc Diakiese, Fernandes stopped Mohammad Yahya by first-round TKO at UFC on ABC 7, followed by a unanimous decision win over Guram Kutateladze at UFC Fight Night 255 in March. With the addition, the current UFC Paris lineup includes:
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
'This is not AI': Nassourdine Imavov rips UFC opponent Caio Borralho with creative video
Nassourdine Imavov isn't much of a trash talker, but it appears he's had enough of Caio Borralho. Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) has spent months calling out Imavov (16-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) but was dismissed by the French fighter, who had his sights set on a title shot. Borralho even went as far as saying Dagestan would be ashamed of Imavov. Imavov was initially set to be the backup fighter for the middleweight title fight between champion Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC 319 headliner on Aug. 16. However, he has opted to stay busy in the meantime and is now booked to face Borralho in the UFC Paris main event on Sept. 6 from Accor Arena. Borralho got his wish, but Imavov wasted no time in firing back at the Brazilian's constant jabs – and he even got creative with it. Check out the video below. Imavov is coming off a signature knockout win over former champion Israel Adesanya at UFC Fight Night 250. He is on a four-fight winning streak.
