Following his unanimous decision loss to Kevin Borjas at UFC Vegas 119, Andre Lima unleashed sharp criticism of his opponent, accusing Borjas of spending ten minutes running and five minutes resting on the canvas. Lima also announced he is dropping to bantamweight, declaring himself a new addition to the 135-pound division.
Andre Lima wasted no time after his unanimous decision loss to Kevin Borjas at UFC Vegas 119, taking to social media to blast his opponent and announce a major career shift to bantamweight.
Lima, known as "Mascote," entered the fight as one of the more technically polished strikers in the division. The 27-year-old Brazilian out of Team Lucas Mineiro carries an 11-1-0 record and brings genuine all-around threat to the cage, landing 3.94 significant strikes per minute at an impressive 56 percent accuracy while also averaging 1.11 takedowns and 0.9 submission attempts per 15 minutes. That combination of striking and grappling output made the defeat a surprising result for the prospect.
Borjas, the 28-year-old Peruvian known as "El Gallo Negro," improved to 11-5-0 with the victory, training out of Pitbull Martial Arts Center. Standing five-foot-five with a 68-inch reach, he works out of an orthodox stance and lands 3.87 significant strikes per minute. Lima's pointed criticism accused Borjas of spending ten minutes running and five minutes resting on the canvas — a clear suggestion that the Peruvian controlled the fight through movement and clinch work rather than engagement.
Why it matters
- Lima's move to bantamweight at 135 pounds reshapes his UFC trajectory entirely, introducing a dangerous striker-grappler to a stacked division
- The criticism of Borjas's style highlights a growing frustration among fighters facing movement-heavy opponents under the current judging framework
- At 27, Lima has time to rebuild at the lower weight class, though the transition itself carries its own risks and opportunities
