Viacheslav “Slava” Borschev, 31, earned a UFC contract with a knockout win on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. Following that win, Borschev again won via impressive knockout in his debut a few short months later in 2022. Continuing his momentum, Borchev fought another two times in 2022, however, he lost both fights via unanimous decisions.
Maheshate, only 23, also earned his path to the UFC through a Dana White’s Contender Series win; Maheshate’s came via decision. Since then, Maheshate has fought two fighters, both named Garcia. He won his debut with a first-round knockout but dropped the following fight via unanimous decision.
Borschev vs. Maheshate is a main card bout on this Saturday night’s UFC Fight Night 224 fight card and will air exclusively on ESPN+.
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Betting Odds
The betting odds for Viacheshalav Borschev vs. Haiysaer Maheshate have bounced around since opening. Borschev opened as a slight favorite, jumped to a larger one, and has settled in the middle with “Slava” as a solid but not massive favorite.
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Fight Breakdown
Borschev earned his 15 minutes of fame with a vicious liver shot knockout in his debut. That single punch showcased Borschev’s power, precision, and technique. He has a high-level kickboxing background which he uses differently than many other pure kickboxers in the UFC.
While fighters like Adesanya, Pereira, and Fiziev – even though he’s more Muay Thai – fight with speed and athleticism, especially for their size, Borschev is more of a plotting technician on the feet. He tends to walk his opponents down, throwing a variety of attacks from a variety of angles, while he tries to trap them against the cage.
His goal is to fight like a predator intelligently trapping his prey, so they cannot move and he can tee off on a stationary target. “Slava’s” jab, leg kick, and slow but tactful footwork all combine to set this trap. Once his opponent is cornered, Borschev unloads heavy but still crisp power shots.
His issues in the cage stem from his single background. He is not yet a complete mixed martial artist, as shown by his poor takedown defense, minimal ability to get the fight back up once he’s taken down, and even less of an ability to fight on the ground. In back-to-back fights, Borschev was taken down and controlled 11 and 9 times respectively. His striking is fun and impressive but his lack of a complete game will continue to cause him issues against anyone who looks to take him down.
Maheshate fights the way most would expect a 23-year-old with legit power, underrated athleticism, and minimal wrestling to fight. He tends to be perpetually aggressive, even though he isn’t always throwing volume.
Further, when he does let his hands go, he swings for the fences and tries to end the fight with each punch he throws. And he tends to be at his most dangerous while he still has the cardio to unload these sledgehammers, typically in round 1.
In his debut, Maheshate’s game plan worked perfectly. He only attempted 10 significant strikes, landing 7 of them, but still tallied 2 knockdowns and a 75-second finish. His next fight, though, was the polar opposite and showed why this fan-friendly style is so volatile. Maheshate attempted 141 significant strikes but, at a 17% clip, landed only 25 over the full 15 minutes.
Against a well-schooled and athletic striker, Maheshate chased his opponent around the cage and found himself swinging more at air than actually connecting. The power was clearly there early but the lack of accuracy or ability to set up his shots allowed his opponent to counter and pivot out over and over.
His two fights sum up who Maheshate is to this point in his career: incredibly dangerous if someone stands in front of him but sloppy and limited against fighters with movement and technique.
Borschev vs. Maheshate Prediction
Maheshate is only 23 years old so significant improvements from fight to fight are expected. He could show up with an improved jab, better footwork, and a toned-down game plan where he combines his natural power with more selectivity in his shots. Think Johnny Walker last week.
However, I don’t expect that to happen for a 23-year-old kid once they start to trade leather. Borschev has the experience and technique to cut angles, dictate space and pace, and counter the overzealous Maheshate for as long as the fight lasts. So long as Borschev doesn’t have a mental lapse at the wrong moment or come out cold to start the fight, I like “Slava” to get back in the win column with a fun fight.
Best Bet: Viacheslav Borschev to win (-155 odds at BetUS)
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Who do you think wins this one at UFC Fight Night 224? Let us know in the comments section below.