UFC Paris Main Event Recap: Nassourdine Imavov Outpoints Caio Borralho — And What It Means for the Middleweight Title

On September 6, 2025, Paris got the contender fight it was promised. Nassourdine Imavov turned back the challenge of Caio Borralho over five technical rounds, earning a unanimous decision (50–45, 49–46, 49–46) and staking a serious claim to the next UFC middleweight title shot.

The story of the fight (round by round)

Round 1 — The jab and angle game.

Imavov set an immediate tone with a busy lead hand, step-in elbows, and feints that froze Borralho’s entries. Borralho’s southpaw counters flashed, but his level changes were read early, and he struggled to corral Imavov along the fence. Clear Imavov round on volume and accuracy.

Round 2 — Clean, efficient offense.

More of the same: Imavov’s jab kept landing, and he blended in short combinations and elbows while circling away from Borralho’s power side. Borralho had moments, but they were isolated; the Frenchman’s defense and footwork blunted most advances. 2–0 Imavov on most cards.

Round 3 — Borralho’s best window.

The Brazilian finally found some rhythm with forward pressure and left hands that backed Imavov up. While momentum shifted briefly, it wasn’t enough to take over the fight long term; media and fan scorecards widely split this frame, but many gave it to Borralho.

Round 4 — Reset and reassert.

Imavov returned to fundamentals: stiff jabs, counters, and well-timed pivots that made Borralho reset repeatedly. The pace and shot selection belonged to Imavov as the minutes ticked away.

Round 5 — Closing strong.

With the fight likely close on the most generous cards, Imavov finished on the front foot, stuffing late takedown looks and punching in combination to leave no doubt. Final scores: 50–45, 49–46, 49–46 for Imavov.

Key numbers and tactics

• Significant strikes: Imavov 81, Borralho 66. No takedowns completed by either fighter — a testament to Imavov’s preparation for the grappling threat and Borralho’s defense in open space.
• Judging texture: Media tallies leaned wide for Imavov (several 50–45s), though some observers saw a competitive 48–47. That aligns with a fight defined by control and shot quality rather than wild swings.
• Disruptions: The bout had a few stoppages (low blows/eye pokes), but Imavov stayed composed and returned to his jab-and-elbow blueprint each time.

Bottom line: Imavov’s ringcraft — the jab, footwork, and defensive reads — carried five rounds against an unbeaten UFC opponent with real grappling danger.

What this does to the middleweight picture

The middleweight division just stabilized under a new champion, Khamzat Chimaev, who won the belt from Dricus Du Plessis by dominant unanimous decision at UFC 319 on August 16–17, 2025. That result reset the queue at 185.

Imavov, who knocked out Israel Adesanya in February and now turned back Borralho, is firmly among the top two or three contenders by any reasonable measure. Some official and media rankings had him slotted in the top three going into Paris, and this victory strengthens that case.

However, there’s an active eliminator in play: Reinier de Ridder vs. Anthony Hernandez headlines UFC Vancouver on October 18, 2025. Both are on strong runs (de Ridder beat Robert Whittaker in July; Hernandez rides an eight-fight streak). The winner could present an immediate alternative challenger depending on timing and market needs.

Will Imavov get the next title shot?

Short answer: He has a compelling claim, but it isn’t automatic.

Why he might be next

• Résumé momentum: Five straight unbeaten results and a marquee TKO of Adesanya, followed by a clear main-event win over Borralho in a billed eliminator. That’s classic No. 1-contender material.
• Champion’s acknowledgement + callout: Imavov told the Paris crowd “I am next,” and Chimaev publicly signaled respect post-fight — small signals that the matchup is on the UFC’s radar.
• Stylistic intrigue: Chimaev’s ferocious wrestling vs. Imavov’s anti-grappling and counter game sells well, especially after Chimaev’s wrestling-heavy title win.

What could delay it

• Vancouver’s headliner outcome: If de Ridder or Hernandez wins impressively, recency and availability might push that winner to the front of the line. UFC often rewards fresh heat.
• Scheduling and health: Chimaev fought in mid-August; if the promotion targets his return for late 2025 or early 2026, the calendar may favor whoever is healthy and ready on that date. (UFC even reshuffled plans recently to center Vancouver’s middleweight main event.)
• Former champ dynamics: Du Plessis remains a big-name ex-champion; if the UFC prefers a quick rematch narrative, that could supersede a standard queue.

Projection: If the UFC books Chimaev before the end of the year, the Vancouver winner has a realistic shot to slide in. But if the title defense lands in early 2026, Imavov’s Paris win plus the Adesanya knockout gives him the strongest holistic case — particularly if he stays active and uninjured. Either way, he’s no worse than co–No. 1 contender today.

Final takeaway

Imavov didn’t need fireworks in Paris; he needed clarity. He got it. A clean decision over an undefeated UFC opponent, sound defense against the takedown threat, and the composure to manage five rounds — all of it cements him as a credible, marketable threat to Khamzat Chimaev’s new reign. Now it’s a race between competitive merit and calendar luck to see who meets the champion first.

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