Imavov defeats Borralho, eyes next UFC middleweight title shot

Nassourdine Imavov defeated Caio Borralho by unanimous decision Saturday night at the Accor Arena in Paris, turning in a five-round striking clinic that left the French contender insisting he has earned the next shot at Khamzat Chimaev's UFC middleweight title. The judges scored the main event 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46 for Imavov, who outstruck his unbeaten Brazilian foe and defended all five takedown attempts across the contest.

Imavov told the crowd in his postfight interview, "I am next," and later said through a translator he felt he had done enough to fight for the belt. He also revealed he had been fighting through a foot injury, saying the pain worsened in the week before the bout and hampered his usual footwork. Khamzat Chimaev acknowledged the performance on social media, congratulating Imavov with a brief "Good fight."

The fight was a pivotal moment in an open middleweight division. Imavov, 29, extended a five-fight winning streak that includes high-profile victories over Israel Adesanya and Jared Cannonier, while Borralho's defeat ended a 16-fight unbeaten run that stretched more than a decade. Borralho, who had acted as a backup for UFC 319 in recent weeks and had to...