And although the present deserves celebrations and happiness, Iván Iberico’s student already has the days numbered to return to training. As soon as he signed with the UFC, Borjas was told that he already had a date and a rival for his debut in the flyweight category (57 kilos). The Peruvian will face the American Joshua Van, who was going to be his original rival in the Contender Series, on November 11 at UFC 295 in New York. sport He spoke with the PMAC athlete to learn about the whole carousel of emotions that he has been experiencing.
How was the process of going to Las Vegas, already being inside the UFC facilities, all those details before your fight?
Yes, in the dressing room I was looking at all the photos of the fighters, I didn’t believe it, I was already one of them. It was a great emotion and a beautiful feeling.
Speaking of the fight, did you imagine that it was like that?
I knew that he was going to tie up, I knew that he was a fighter who wanted to go up little by little. If he grabbed the leg, he’d go up, all the way to the neck and all, but I didn’t let him. My strategy was to stay in the middle and look for effective blows to take him down. But I do give credit to my rival because he was tough, he took blows.
Your rival’s strategy was always to tie up the fight…
I knew his intentions, which was to knock me down and control me on the floor, look for the points or look for my mistake to be able to submit, but thank God he didn’t make it, I was very focused, I kept calm there on the floor, breathing and thinking What can I do without making a mistake? All his strength was used in the mooring, from there he was exhausted.
The first round cost you, what did your coach Iván Iberico tell you so that you come out more determined later?
At the beginning I felt a little out of place, I was very lost, because it was a new setting, the people, the cameras. Already in the second round, the teacher Iván motivates me, he told me that all the hard work of four months, sacrifice time, could not be wasted like this. He told me to stay in the middle and look for the blows and that’s what I did, there I was able to develop better. Already in the second and third round I felt more comfortable.
Always look for the knockout, but your rival had a jaw, when the fight went to the cards, what did you think?
I felt it strange, like I could possibly lose, because I’m not used to this outcome. It was the first fight in my career that was going to the decision, I didn’t know what was going to happen, I was scheduled to finish it, I couldn’t leave anything in the hands of the judges, because now anything can happen. I was a bit worried. Once they called my name, I let go of everything I had.
Victory still didn’t secure your contract, but did anyone say anything to you about that?
No, nobody told me anything, they told me to wait to one side, that if I wanted to go see the other fights, but they didn’t tell me anything. Professor Iván made me stay calm, he told me to wait for the contract, because he had prepared me for that. I felt that he could have given more, but the rival didn’t let me do more because he tied a lot, he didn’t let me shine
Already when Dana White announces your name, what did he say to you?
He told me that he really liked my fight, that I was like a dog, I faced a fighter bigger and stronger than me. He had rebounded to 70 kilos and I was at 63. He told me that I was a warrior and that he was very excited to have hired me. I thanked him for the opportunity and that he was ready to fight.
Exactly, hours ago your debut in the UFC was announced, it will be on November 11 against Joshua Van…
Yes, the day after the fight, when I was already on the plane, I received a message from my manager and he told me that I already had a fight for my debut, it will be at Madison Square Garden in New York.. Everything was very fast, but things happen for a reason and I cannot miss them. So I’m going to train twice as much to get a good result.
Joshua Van was going to be your original rival in the Contender, does the strategy make it easier for you to be a fighter that you already had mapped?
Yes, the truth is that I had prepared myself for him; at any moment I was going to cross it. I knew this was going to happen, I am quite excited because this is what I am looking for. I know that I am going to emerge victorious from that fight, because I am better than him.
You are the fifth Peruvian who is currently in the UFC, and now two more will seek his contract…
Yes, I’m very happy about that. We have a good level and now two more will seek the contract, I want to tell them to have confidence, they have trained hard for this. That is the key to being able to fight with the greatest in the world, I hope they win their fights and we are waiting for them in the UFC.
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