Scouting Report: Adam Borics

Adam Borics

Born: July 7, 1993 (Age: 29) in Eger, Hungary
Division: Featherweight
Height: 5’11”
Reach: 70.5”
Record: 18-1 (9-1 Bellator)
Association: Sanford MMA
Stage of Career: Prime

Summary: Borics has proven himself as a tough, well-rounded contender while showing significant improvement during his time in Bellator. Much of his game is predicated on his sudden and explosive jumping knee—one of the finest shots of its kind anywhere in the sport. He has knocked out multiple opponents with it, including Aaron Pico, and consistently hurt a number of others. Borics also possesses a solid jab with which he scores regularly and throws punches in bunches with high output, mixing in leg kicks for good measure. On the ground, excellent Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills have resulted in six submission wins for the Hungarian. Borics can be taken down by elite wrestlers, but he has been proficient at getting back to his feet. However, he can sometimes be too eager to do so, creating submission opportunities for his opponents. Otherwise, he can be a ridiculously difficult riddle to solve, with endless cardio, a determined competitive spirit and stellar intelligence.

STRIKING

• Stance: Orthodox.
• Hand Speed: Slightly above average.
• Jab: A technical, straight and sudden blow with which he consistently scores, though it does not have any exceptional speed or power.
• Cross: Average, due to its lack of power.
• Left Hook: Fairly accurate with solid rotation, but it comes out a little wide, leading to it being slightly telegraphed and slow.
• Overhand Right: Rarely throws it.
• Uppercuts: Rarely throws them.
• Solitary Striker or Volume Puncher: Favors throwing punches in bunches.
• Favorite Combinations: Loves doubling and tripling up on the jab, then throwing either a left hook or right cross after it.
• Leg Kicks: Decent by themselves, but he often throws them naked at close range and just begs to be countered.
• Body Kicks: Serviceable, with solid speed and technique, but they lack some power.
• Head Kicks: Rarely throws them.
• Knees: Wields some of the best jumping knees in the sport. They are insanely fast and powerful, and he throws them with tremendous accuracy and timing.
• Chains Kicks to Punches: No.

Borics utilizes an interesting standup style, which revolves around one of the best knee strikes in MMA—a ridiculously dynamic, powerful and accurate shot that has resulted in multiple knockouts and staggered many opponents. When he is not throwing it, he looks fairly technical and sound, a he profits from a nice jab and through peppering his counterparts with left hooks and leg kicks. Borics would be even more effective if his right cross did not lack power. However, he has solid defense and knows when to retreat.

CLINCH

• Physical Strength: Standard for a featherweight.
• Technique: Decent. He is especially deft at getting the Thai plum on opponents.
• Knees: Powerful shots that he sets up well with the aforementioned Thai plum.
• Elbows: Does not throw them.
• Defense Against Knees and Elbows: Good.

Borics does not hunt for takedowns in the clinch, but he has proven challenging to ground himself due to solid strength and technique. In the meantime, he has a dangerous knee with which he will tag opponents.

GRAPPLING

• Wrestling from a Shot: Difficult to say since he never pursues this avenue, especially at his current level. Given those variables, it seems safe to assume he does not excel here.
• Wrestling in the Clinch: His judo base lends itself to some nice trips.
• Takedown Defense: Generally stuffs attempts well, though he was taken down again and again by Pico, an accomplished and gifted wrestler.
• Ability to Return to Feet: Excellent. Good hips allow for fluid and athletic hip escapes, all while showing strong balance. At other times, he posts up in an agile manner at the first opportunity and can wall walk nicely.
• Submissions: Adept at taking the back and advancing from there, as well as transitioning to the backpack position. He can finish comfortably with a rear-naked choke, as evidenced by the fact that he has done so twice in Bellator.
• Defense and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from the Bottom: Extremely active off his back while throwing up agile submission attempts, but he can get impatient and make mistakes. Darrion Caldwell took advantage of such a scenario in 2020, handing him his first defeat via rear-naked choke.
• Top Control: Likely serviceable, but he has not often found himself on top against opponents who were especially skilled at getting back to their feet.
• Ground-and-Pound: Throws his weight into meaningful punches, including shots to the body.

Borics’ grappling plays into his well-roundedness, as he can use it to defeat opponents with weaknesses on the ground. Only the top grapplers can exploit him on the mat and perhaps not as much anymore, as he has undoubtedly worked on this area of his game since the loss to Caldwell—the lone blemish on an otherwise perfect amateur and professional resume. Borics boasts excellent Brazilian jiu-jitsu from the top, excels at taking the back and using positional dominance to finish with the rear-naked choke and shows an affinity for the backpack position. From the bottom, he gets to his feet without much issue by using wall walks or hip escapes. Borics likes to throw out submission attempts in volume, and his wrestling skills and ground-and-pound are solid if unspectacular.

INTANGIBLES

• Athleticism and General Physical Strength: Above average, as exemplified by his jumping knees and his ability hold his own in close quarters and on the mat.
• Cardio: Barely slows down despite fighting at a fast pace. He showed tremendous energy in defeating and outlasting a cardio machine in Mads Burnell over five rounds.
• Chin: Jury remains out, as he has not yet been cracked overly hard.
• Recuperative Powers: At least up to par.
• Intelligence: The improvement he has shown across his Bellator tenure is utterly jaw-dropping. Borics is a true martial artist who is always perfecting his craft.