Nassourdine Imavov (17-4-0) put forward a clear claim for a title shot after outworking Caio Borralho (17-2-0) and earning a unanimous decision in the UFC Fight Night main event, with judges scoring the five-round bout 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46.
Key Takeaways
- Imavov won a five-round unanimous decision over Caio Borralho (50-45, 49-46, 49-46).
- Both fighters landed 89 total strikes; Imavov led 81–66 in significant strikes and 53–39 on head strikes.
- Imavov publicly called for a matchup with middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev after the fight.
- Benoît Saint-Denis finished Mauricio Ruffy by rear-naked choke in round two, energizing the French crowd.
- Notable finishes included Modestas Bukauskas (TKO over Paul Craig) and Marcin Tybura (TKO over Ante Delija).
- Multiple first-round stoppages and a string of knockouts shaped the undercard results.
Verified Facts
In the scheduled five-round middleweight headliner, Imavov outpointed Borralho across five rounds. The official judges rendered a unanimous decision: 50-45, 49-46, 49-46. Both fighters registered 89 total strikes; Imavov held the edge in significant strikes, landing 81 to Borralho’s 66. On head strikes Imavov landed 53 versus Borralho’s 39. Borralho attempted more total strikes (190) compared with Imavov (170).
Several other fights ended before the final bell. Benoît Saint-Denis (15-3-0) defeated Mauricio Ruffy (12-2-0) by rear-naked choke at 2:56 of round two. Modestas Bukauskas (19-6-0) secured a first-round TKO over Paul Craig (17-10-1) via strikes, and Marcin Tybura (27-10-0) recorded a first-round stoppage over Ante Delija (26-6-0).
Undercard finishes continued to dominate results: Bolaji Oki stopped Mason Jones by TKO in round two; Axel Sola stopped Rhys McKee in round three; and several welterweight and lightweight bouts ended by strikes in early rounds.
Decision wins also appeared on the card: William Gomis earned a unanimous decision over Robert Ruchała with scorecards reading 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, while other competitive matchups went the distance but did not alter the night’s narrative of decisive finishes.
Context & Impact
Imavov’s performance strengthens his standing in the middleweight rankings. A dominant five-round effort against a top contender like Borralho bolsters arguments for an immediate title opportunity or at least a high-profile next opponent.
The strong local support for French fighters—highlighted by Saint-Denis’ submission win—suggests the promotion can rely on crowd energy when hosting events featuring homegrown talent. The mix of early stoppages and a controlled main event also reflects an event that balanced entertainment with technical displays.
For division dynamics, Imavov calling for Khamzat Chimaev adds a media storyline that the UFC and matchmakers may weigh, particularly given Imavov’s recent form and Borralho’s status as a top-10 opponent.
Notable undercard results
- Benoît Saint-Denis def. Mauricio Ruffy — R2, 2:56 (rear-naked choke)
- Modestas Bukauskas def. Paul Craig — R1, 5:00 (TKO, elbows/strikes)
- Bolaji Oki def. Mason Jones — R2, 3:18 (TKO)
- Marcin Tybura def. Ante Delija — R1, 2:03 (TKO)
- Shauna Bannon def. Sam Hughes — R2, 1:58 (rear-naked choke)
“I proved tonight I belong at the top and I want the next big fight,”
Nassourdine Imavov (post-fight comments)
Unconfirmed
- Event date and venue were not specified in the provided summary and should be confirmed from the official event page.
- Some listings in the original source showed inconsistent nationality tags for certain fighters; nationalities above follow the presented records but should be checked against official rosters.
Bottom Line
Imavov’s clear five-round victory over Borralho gives him momentum and a credible claim for a next big fight at middleweight, potentially against champion Khamzat Chimaev. The card overall combined several highlight finishes with a technically decisive main event, setting up fresh storylines for the division.