Rei Tsuruya and Kevin Borjas are set to clash at UFC Shanghai, according to sources. The matchup adds another compelling contest to the card.
Rei Tsuruya and Kevin Borjas have been booked to meet at UFC Shanghai, with sources confirming the flyweight matchup for the upcoming card.
Tsuruya, 24, arrives as one of the more exciting prospects in the division. The Japanese fighter out of The Blackbelt Japan carries a 10-1 record and has built a reputation on a punishing grappling-heavy style. He averages an impressive 5.06 takedowns per 15 minutes, and his 52 percent striking accuracy suggests he picks his shots with purpose. Standing 168 cm tall with a 173 cm reach, the orthodox southpaw is young but already polished beyond his years.
Borjas, known as "El Gallo Negro," brings a 11-5 record and a markedly different approach to the octagon. The 28-year-old Peruvian, who trains out of Pitbull Martial Arts Center, is a volume striker who lands 3.87 significant strikes per minute. He shares the same 173 cm reach as Tsuruya despite standing slightly shorter at 165 cm. His game is built almost entirely on the feet, recording no takedowns and no submission attempts per 15 minutes — a style that sets up a clear contrast with his opponent.
Why it matters
- Tsuruya's elite takedown output collides directly with the pure striking output of Borjas, making for a textbook wrestler-versus-striker matchup.
- A win for Tsuruya would continue building his case as a top flyweight prospect out of Japan.
- Borjas will need to keep the fight standing to neutralize Tsuruya's dominant grappling game, raising the stakes for every exchange on the feet.
