What’s next for Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho after UFC Paris?

The UFC was in Paris, France, on Saturday for a solid UFC Paris card that exceeded all expectations. The main event saw Nassourdine Imavov taking on Caio Borralho in a potential No. 1 contender fight.

Entering the fight, Imavov was coming off a TKO win over Israel Adesanya and was on a four-fight winning streak. Borralho, meanwhile, was on a 17-fight unbeaten streak and was a perfect 7-0 in the UFC and was coming off a decision win over Jared Cannonier.

Ultimately, it was Imavov who cruised to a lopsided decision win as he was able to land the more damaging shots. Following UFC Paris, here is what I think should be next for the middleweight contenders.

Nassourdine Imavov

Nassourdine Imavov picked up a big win at home at UFC Paris as he beat Caio Borralho by decision. Imavov outstruck Borralho and also stuffed all five of the Brazilian’s takedowns. It was a dominant performance from Imavov, who put the middleweight division on notice.

Although Imavov didn’t get a finish, his next fight should be for the middleweight title. Imavov has done enough to earn the title shot, and he should face Khamzat Chimaev in early 2026 for the belt. Imavov is the second-ranked middleweight, and a fight between Chimaev would be an intriguing one.

Caio Borralho

Caio Borralho went into enemy territory looking to earn the middleweight title shot, but he fell short against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Paris. Borralho struggled to wrestle Imavov, and that was the difference, as Imavov was the better pure striker on the feet.

Although Borralho lost, he is still a top middleweight contender and should only need a couple of wins to get back into the title picture. Borralho should face Brendan Allen in a pivotal fight at middleweight, with the winner getting a top-five fight, while the loser would become a gatekeeper at middleweight.