Rising middleweight star Caio Borralho has questioned whether former divisional kingpin Israel Adesanya still has what it takes after his submission loss to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 earlier this month.
“There was a moment that he gave up of the fight, and actually it was like a minute before he actually got finished,” Borralho said in an interview with Submission Radio. “I think he got tired, and I think he lost the focus, and he was starting to do things that he doesn’t usually do. He was starting to trade punches like crazy. He was putting a lot of power on the punches, trying to just knock out, just to get out of there. I thought that he was not comfortable there anymore, as the moment that he got tired in the fight, and DDP did an amazing job.
“So, I don’t know if Adesanya still has it – the same focus, the same thing because if you see all the fights of him when he gets tired, he even changed a little bit. His face, you know, his expression, just to tell himself that he’s still there, that he gets more focused, that even when he’s tired. But this time, he looked a little bit more scared in his expression, on his face, and he gave up on the fight like a minute before the fight ended. If you see, he gave us some signs that he didn’t want to be there anymore.”
There were no such doubts about Borralho last weekend when he impressed during a convincing decision victory over Jared Cannonier, and now he wants to put Adesanya to the test, seeing him as the perfect opponent to put himself into title contention.
And the 31-year-old believes he has all the tools to get the better of the former champion in the Octagon.
“I’m a guy that puts a lot of pressure when it comes about fighting,” Borralho said. “You guys see how I made Jared – I think Jared is the most powerful guy in the division. The heavy hitter of the division I think is Jared Cannonier in the top 10. None of these other guys hit as hard as him. So, if I made him move backwards, I would definitely make anyone move backwards, you know? And I’m going to pressure a lot Adesanya in this fight, make him move backwards.
“He likes to move backwards, actually, but I might be the only guy that uses feints, that we’re going to kick him the same way that he’s going to kick me, and I have the advantage on wrestling and grappling, too. So, I think he’ll be always in doubt if I’m going to put him down or if I’m going to just trade punches with him. I’m going to put pressure and maybe get a good knockout or a good takedown, and definitely going to finish him. With all the respect always, but that’s the way I see this fight going.”
