A few weeks ago, Caio Borralho made headlines with a bold statement on the Overdogs Podcast, accusing Israel Adesanya of avoiding him in favor of Nassourdine Imavov. The #6 ranked middleweight contender claimed that the former two-time champion had “ducked” him and suggested that their potential showdown was being saved for a title fight next year. “We’re gonna dance next year for the belt,” ‘The Natural’ claimed Adesanya had told him, while noting that ‘The Last Stylebender’ opted to face Imavov in the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia in February 2025.

This accusation quickly sparked heated debate, with many critics accusing Israel Adesanya of avoiding tough opponents, likening him to Jon Jones and Alex Pereira in the “ducking” category. The Nigerian-Kiwi had remained silent on the issue—until two weeks later, when he addressed it on his YouTube channel, FreestyleBender. In his video, Izzy explained that the UFC had only offered him Nassourdine Imavov, not Borralho. He said, “That was the only name that got offered, but [Caio] Borralho, he was looking for a fight as well. If they offered him, it would have been like, ‘Yeah, sweet.'”

However, Adesanya didn’t completely dismiss Borralho’s claim. He further shared that after announcing the fight on social media, the Brazilian reached out to him. Izzy replied, saying, “But then he responded when I posted or announced the fight, and I was like, ‘Bro, I already told you when it’s you and me, it’ll be for the belt, it’ll be for the throne.’” This leaves the controversy unresolved—did the UFC offer Israel Adesanya a fight against ‘The Natural’? Only the matchmakers and Dana White can answer that.

Nevertheless, both Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho pose significant challenges for the #2 ranked middleweight. Although they rank lower than the former two-time champion, both fighters are thriving in their careers. The Brazilian native has dominated since his UFC debut, maintaining an impressive 17-1 MMA record. Similarly, Imavov rides a three-fight win streak, with his latest victory over Brendan Allen in September.

Meanwhile, Adesanya faces challenges in regaining momentum as he prepares for his first non-title fight since 2019. Having won just one of his last four bouts, The Nigerian-Kiwi has felt the impact of his last two losses particularly deeply. His most recent setback came against division champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305, a defeat he has recently taken the time to reflect on.

Israel Adesanya reflects on his ‘stinging’ loss to Du Plessis

Recently, it wouldn’t be entirely unfair to label Israel Adesanya as a “

choker.” The two-time middleweight champion seemed to have it all under control until 2022 when Alex Pereira dethroned him. However, ‘The Last Stylebender’ quickly bounced back, avenging his loss by defeating Pereira in a rematch, which ultimately pushed ‘Poatan’ to the light heavyweight division. But the real struggles started soon after.

Izzy suffered a shocking defeat to underdog Sean Strickland, who took his title in an upset no one saw coming. After nearly a year on the sidelines, Adesanya set his sights on reclaiming the belt, but this time, he faced another underdog in Dricus Du Plessis. In an unexpected turn, Du Plessis became the first fighter to submit the former two-time champion, doing so in the fourth round.

Reflecting on his loss to the South African, Adesanya spoke openly during a conversation with his younger brother, David Adesanya. When David asked, “Does that loss still sting as much as some of your other defeats?” Izzy paused for a moment before responding, “Nah, it doesn’t. I gave it my best. I was in good shape, and I felt great. But there’s always room for improvement, and we’ve made those improvements. We’ve definitely addressed that.”

What’s your take on Adesanya’s response? Who do you think would pose a bigger challenge to the former two-time middleweight champion—Imavov or Borralho? And do you believe ‘The Last Stylebender’ “ducked” Caio Borralho? Share your thoughts below.