Since being bounced from the featherweight grand prix by Darrion Caldwell, Adam Borics has done nothing but win. Three wins, in fact, which has led him to a title eliminator this Friday against Jay Jay Wilson.
So just how important was that loss, in terms of his career development? “It wasn’t super necessary,” Borics (17-1) joked at Wednesday’s media day promoting the bout. “I would [rather] win that tournament, of course.”
On a more serious note, Hungary’s Borics admitted that “I learned a lot from that. I think I grew a lot, like a man and like a fighter also. After that, Darrion [Caldwell] moved to Florida, and we train together now, we help each other now. So I just feel I got so much better.”
Jay Jay Wilson spoke during his own media day appearance of Borics’ apparent issues with the ground game, noting that the choke he’d tapped to in the grand prix hadn’t been fully under the neck.
“People are forgetting, I have so many submissions. I won 17 fights, I have one loss. They submitted me one time,” Borics countered. “I think they underestimate my ground game.” The featherweight cited his last fight, against Jeremy Kennedy, as an example of the fighter he is now. Kennedy is a “really good grappler, I think a much better wrestler than Jay Jay, a much better striker, a much better MMA fighter,” said Borics. “He fought everywhere around the world. So they’re going to be surprised. He did [land] a takedown, but I got up right away. So I am not worried about [Wilson].”
Borics also believes he’s one of the strongest featherweights in the world, and Wilson hasn’t felt that before, he added.
Should Borics come away with the win on Friday, he’ll officially be the number one contender in the weight class. But at that weight, there could be a wait, as A.J. McKee seems keen on moving up to 155lbs to pursue another fight with Patricio Pitbull, and a second title.
Despite the possible forced vacation, Borics appears okay with the timeline. “In the last 12 months I fought four times, so I’ve been pretty busy,” he told Cageside Press. “If I have to wait six, seven months, I’m okay with that. If they want to make an interim title or something, I will do that. But I really want to face [off] against A.J. McKee in the future.”
Watch the full Bellator 265 media day appearance from Adam Borics above. The event takes place this Friday, August 20 at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
