A would-be flyweight affair between André Lima and Kevin Borjas served as the featured preliminary bout at UFC Vegas 119 at the Meta Apex, as the UFC returned to action on Saturday after a massive card at the White House.
The bout was thrown for a loop when Borjas missed weight, three pounds over the non-title limit, a mistake which cost him 30% of his fight purse.
André Lima was on the hunt early, downloading information on Borjas with a high volume of feints. The Brazilian opened with a series of jabs and low kicks, while Borjas attempted to explode off his back foot whenever Lima entered range. Kevin Borjas found some success staying on his bicycle and moving around the outside. Right before the end of the round, Lima’s defensive responsibility was compromised, allowing Borjas to land the two biggest strikes of the round.
After a competitive opening frame, Kevin Borjas was struck below the waist after the two combatants exchanged kicks. The Peruvian took every second of the allotted five minutes before appearing to struggle back to his corner, eventually agreeing to continue despite being in the throes of pain just moments earlier.
As the fight resumed, Borjas seemingly shook off the injury, shooting out of a cannon to land a big combination upstairs on Lima. With both men rejuvenated, Borjas started showing a high volume of strikes, mixing in a few clean hooks to the body of the Brazilian. With around five seconds left in the round, Borjas landed the first takedown of the fight, staking his claim in what could have been back-to-back rounds.
Arguably needing a finish after two rounds, André Lima returned to applying pressure, snapping Borjas with a flush jab that knocked the mouthpiece out of the Peruvian’s mouth. Undeterred, Borjas remained willing to trade, planting his feet and letting go with multiple strikes targeting the head of Lima.
With around two minutes left in the fight, Kevin Borjas stayed on the outside, avoiding any serious power from the undefeated André Lima. The Brazilian was able to corral Borjas along the cage, scoring some control time, though not for long before referee Kerry Hatley stepped in for Lima’s second infraction after he grabbed the cage to maintain control. Back at range, Borjas remained composed as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
In the biggest upset of the night, Kevin Borjas earned the unanimous decision victory, likely saving his UFC hopes and picking up his second win with the promotion. On the other side, André Lima suffered his first mixed martial arts loss since the amateur scene.
Official Result: Kevin Borjas def. Andre Fili by unanimous decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)
