Caio Borralho has made headlines across the MMA world by publicly calling for a showdown with undefeated contender Khamzat Chimaev, as speculation swirls around the UFC middleweight title picture. With reigning champion Dricus du Plessis reportedly sidelined by injury, Borralho has wasted no time in seeking an interim title clash, taking to social media to declare, “I know a guy, UFC, you know who to call. Interim?” Both fighters have since verbally agreed to the matchup.
Caio Borralho Breaks Down Why He’s the Man to Dethrone Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC
Caio Borralho boasts a perfect 7-0 record in the UFC and has only one professional loss dating back to 2015. He is approaching the potential bout against Khamzat CHimaev with a blend of respect and unshakable confidence. “The first round is crucial,” Borralho explained in a recent interview with Submission Radio. “It’s essential that I avoid any mistakes in that round. It’s the most perilous segment, and it sets the tone. Following that, I’m not claiming his performance will decline, but I know mine will improve.”
The Brazilian athlete believes that if he can weather Khamzat Chimaev’s early storm, the momentum will shift in his favor. “I believe I can still defend against some takedowns in the second round, even if I get taken down, I’ll work my way back up. I just need to avoid giving him my back, which he tends to exploit. After that, I can begin landing effective body shots, jabs, and calf kicks that I’ve been executing well. As the fight progresses, it will shift in my favor. I can envision a knockout in either the fourth or fifth round, or perhaps a convincing decision after dominating the last three rounds.”
The Brazilian contender is no stranger to Khamzat Chimaev’s style, having previously trained with the Chechen-Swede during a UFC fight camp. Addressing viral footage of Chimaev appearing to dominate him in training, Borralho was candid: “At the time that I went to Khamzat’s training camp, I have no problem to say that I got beaten up because I was helping him. That was far from a sparring session. That was a video of him drilling positions… He’s just making fun, he knows that we were training, we were filming for the UFC, we were drilling… I didn’t even defend the takedown.”
Despite Khamzat Chimaev’s reputation as one of the most feared fighters in the division, Borralho remains undeterred. He has openly stated that Chimaev represents “the hardest fight in the division,” but insists he has the tools to pull off the upset. “This fight is gonna be bigger than him vs Dricus! Mark my words,” Borralho proclaimed, “If you say so, sign the contract and we will see!”
With both fighters undefeated in the UFC and eager to prove themselves on the sport’s biggest stage, anticipation continues to build for what could be one of the year’s most compelling matchups. As Borralho summed up, “That’s the kind of fight I’ve been dreaming all my life, to have a fight with a guy that will step up. All my fights, all good guys, all respect to them, but I dominated all. I’m looking forward to do it again”
