Timothy D. Easley/Special to the Courier-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Nassourdine Imavov Declares Himself Next for UFC Middleweight Title

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Robert LaMar | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 9:24 PM ET

Nassourdine Imavov believes his time has come. The French middleweight made a resounding case for a UFC title shot on Saturday night at UFC Fight Night 258 in Paris, where he halted the 10-year unbeaten run of Caio Borralho with a dominant unanimous decision.

The win not only extended Imavov’s own streak to five fights but also positioned him as the clearest contender for newly crowned champion Khamzat Chimaev.

Nassourdine Imavov nous offre le 3-0 contre le Brésil à l'#UFCParis @imavov1 s'impose par décision unanime pic.twitter.com/sy7QOOrEgy

— UFC France (@UFCFRA) September 6, 2025

Imavov’s Statement Performance

Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) entered the bout with a pristine record and seven straight UFC victories. Imavov (16-4 MMA, 8-2 UFC) systematically shut him down, sweeping the scorecards and handing Borralho his first loss in more than a decade.

“Absolutely, no hesitation that I’m next,” Imavov declared in his post-fight interview. “It’s been 10 years that he was unbeaten, and I beat him with style, as well. I definitely need to be the next one.”

Past Proof and Present Claim

Imavov reminded the media that his case goes beyond just one win. In February, he knocked out former champion Israel Adesanya in what many called a breakout performance.

“People said that against Adesanya, he was the best striker in the world and I couldn’t fight with him on the feet, but I knocked him out,” Imavov said. “This guy, Caio I didn’t have to fight against him, but I did it. He was coming from 10 years in a row of victories, 16 straight victories, seven in a row in the UFC, and I won every round. Once again, I proved I’m the best.”

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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