Adam Borics’ American Dream

Bellator 205 will mark Hungarian featherweight Adam Borics’ third foray into the Bellator MMA cage. It will be a monumental moment for the young fighter as he lives out a dream and gets to perform on American soil for the first time.

For the former personal trainer and massage therapist, fighting in the United States has been a lifelong aspiration. With this important moment just days away, the Budapest native was asked if he had any nervous feelings going into his bout at the CenturyLink Arena in Boise, Idaho.

“I don’t feel the pressure, I’m more excited because I have been waiting for this my whole life,” Borics told Sherdog.com.

In just three years, the 25-year-old has amassed a 7-0 record and growing recognition in the sport, much of it earned after his highlight reel victory over Teodor Nikolov at Bellator 196. Originally, he was set to face Ireland’s James Gallagher in the main event. However, an injury to Gallagher denied Borics the opportunity, a disappointing turn of events as Borics had been looking forward to facing the cocky SBG Ireland fighter. “I don’t like Gallagher, he talks too much sh*t,” Borics said.

Despite losing his main event slot, things turned out well for Borics in the end. In the bout with Nikolov, he landed a perfect flying knee that went viral on social media and left his opponent unconscious before he even hit the mat.

“I like the flying knee when I fight against a wrestler, and Nikilov was [a wrestler],” said Borics.

The technique is a favorite move for Borics even in training, though his teammates are not big fans of being victimized with it during sparring sessions. “Other guys don’t like it,” he admitted with a laugh.

Flying knees aside, Borics credits the training and coaching he receives at his current gym, Hard Knocks 365, for his improving skills. A year ago, he decided the only way he could reach his full potential was to leave his home country and find a well-regarded MMA team. From the start, he knew the country the gym would be located in. “It was always my dream to train in the U.S.,” said Borics.

After moving to Florida, his manager introduced him to Hard Knocks 365 head coach Henri Hooft. Borics knew he wanted to go somewhere with a proven track record and a professional environment. Hooft opened Hard Knocks 365 a couple of years ago with several fighters and trainers from the now-defunct Blackzilians team. With that in mind, Hard Knocks 365 seemed to be the right fight for him. “If I want to be the best I have to train with the best,” Borics said.

Now training with talent like Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters Michael Johnson and Gilbert Burns, Borics feels he is seeing results from the decision he made.

“I feel in the last year of my career I have grown the most,” Borics says. He points to his wrestling, fight IQ and general strength and conditioning as areas that have developed since joining the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, gym.

On Sept. 21, Borics will face his stiffest test to date in Brazilian veteran Josenaldo Silva. The Evolucao Thai and OCS Jiu-Jitsu fighter has been in the sport for over a decade and has competed in 31 bouts. Compared to Borics’ seven bouts and three years in the sport, the experience gap could seem daunting. However, Borics believes he has an x-factor that can nullify the proficiency divide: desire. “I am very hungry for success and that’s what drives me,” he says.

In 15 of his 26 victories, Silva has stopped his opponent via strikes. Coming off his own highlight-reel victory in April, Borics was asked if he would be willing to trade a bit with Silva, or if he would prefer to go the safer route and use his strong grappling and size advantage. The Hungarian actually prefers the former, in hopes of entertaining the viewers in the arena and at home. “I think fans like standing, so I want to put on a show [and] this is my goal,” Borics said.

Borics has lofty hopes for what he can do in the featherweight division. However, at 5-foot-11 and often walking around between fights at 170 pounds, he knows he won’t be a featherweight forever. “I think in the future I will move up [to lightweight],” Borics said.

He hopes to compete at featherweight for two more years before making a permanent change, but admitted to weighing 165 pounds a little over a week out from Bellator 205. At only 25, and with weight cuts that have been difficult in the past, his body may end up forcing his hand sooner than later.