Andre Lima is back in action this weekend against Kevin Borjas in Las Vegas after 15 months away. The UFC flyweight says the layoff has been long, but his target is simple: get moving again and stack up fights.
He wants three fights this year, including this one, and said he wants to be ready to step up on short notice and make up for lost time. Lima also said he is trying to show the UFC that he wants to be an active fighter.
Andre Lima And The Layoff
Lima made his pro debut in MMA in October 2022 and signed with UFC in October 2023. In that stretch, he fought six times, so this break stands out against the pace he built early in his career.
His longest pause before this one was six months between his Contender Series fight and his UFC debut. Since last March, though, he has been out of action far longer than anything else on his run.
Kevin Borjas Steps In
Borjas enters as the replacement for DongHun Choi, and he has dropped four of five since joining the roster. That makes the matchup a sharp test for Lima’s return, especially with Borjas looking for a rebound of his own.
Lima’s last fight ended with a third-round submission of Daniel Barez. That win left him 4-0 in the UFC and 11-0 overall, with five stoppages in six fights on the regional circuit before he reached the UFC.
Lima’s Next Push
He went the distance in his first three UFC assignments, and only got his first UFC finish when Igor Severino was disqualified for biting him. Lima said that having no finishes before his last outing was bothering him, but the finish over Barez eased that concern.
He also said he does not feel pressure from being unbeaten. Instead, he wants to show he has the level to be in the top-15 and, one day, to reach his dream of being UFC champion. All due respect to Kevin — it’s gonna be an honor to share the cage with him.
