The middleweight battle in Paris: Imavov and Borralho compete for the challenger position

This Saturday, September 6, 2025, the Accor Arena in Paris, France will host a crucial middleweight division showdown in the UFC. Nassourdine Imavov faces Caio Borralho in the main event of UFC Fight Night, with both fighters aiming to establish themselves as the next contenders for the title recently won by Khamzat Chimaev.

Event Details: Schedule and Broadcast

Location: Accor Arena, Paris, France
Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
Broadcast: ESPN+
Preliminary Card: 12:00 ET
Main Card: 15:00 ET

The Main Fight: Two Different Paths to the Top

Caio Borralho arrives at this bout with unstoppable momentum. The 31-year-old Brazilian, member of the emerging “Fighting Nerds” team, has shown exponential growth in his recent performances. His knockout victory over Paul Craig in May 2024, followed by his decisive win over former challenger Jared Cannonier in what was “Fight of the Night,” position him as the UFC official middleweight rankings number 7.

Borralho’s record within the promotion reflects his meteoric rise: from his debut in 2021 on Dana White Contender Series to becoming an elite contender. His ability to adapt to increasingly competitive opponents has established him as one of the most promising middleweights of the moment.

On the other hand, Nassourdine Imavov represents consistency and resilience. With a record of 16-4-0-1, the 29-year-old Russian has demonstrated a trajectory of recovery after adversities. His most recent and notable victory was the TKO over former champion Israel Adesanya in February, a result that propelled him to number 2 in the UFC middleweight rankings.

Imavov’s Path: Comebacks and Evolution

Imavov’s UFC career includes turbulent moments that nearly ended prematurely. In January 2023, when he faced Sean Strickland in light heavyweight after Kelvin Gastelum’s unexpected withdrawal, he suffered a unanimous decision loss. However, he did not get discouraged.

Months later, in his fight against Roman Dolidze in February 2024 as the UFC Fight Night main event, Imavov secured a majority decision victory. But it was his bout against Jared Cannonier in June 2024 in Louisville that showed his true evolution. Initially, Imavov was losing 29-29 on two scorecards after three rounds, but executed a spectacular comeback.

In the fourth round, under referee Jason Herzog’s supervision, Imavov refined his range and timing, connecting with 73% of his significant strikes before Herzog stopped the fight. Cannonier’s strategy to slow down with leg kicks never materialized into enough dominance, while Imavov executed his reversal plan with precision.

Full Paris Card

Main Fights:

• Nassourdine Imavov vs. Caio Borralho
• Benoît Saint Denis vs. Maurício Ruffy
• Modestas Bukauskas vs. Paul Craig
• Bolaji Oki vs. Mason Jones
• Rhys McKee vs. Axel Sola
• William Gomis vs. Robert Ruchała

Preliminary Bouts:

• Oumar Sy vs. Brendson Ribeiro
• Marcin Tybura vs. Ante Delija
• Harry Hardwick vs. Kaue Fernandes
• Sam Patterson vs. Trey Waters
• Brad Tavares vs. Robert Bryczek
• Andreas Gustafsson vs. Rinat Fakhretdinov
• Shauna Bannon vs. Sam Hughes

What’s at Stake

Both contenders are vying for a preferential position to face Khamzat Chimaev in future middleweight title bouts. Imavov, ranked second, has the opportunity to confirm his elite status. Borralho, still rising from seventh place, seeks to make the final leap into the main challenger conversation. This matchup will be decisive for the future dynamics of the UFC middleweight division.