Caio Borralho aims to secure a UFC middleweight title shot by defeating Nassourdine Imavov, believing their fight makes the most sense for the division, while also anticipating a potential future matchup against the winner of the Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev bout.
SÃO PAULO — Caio Borralho’s eyes are set on the UFC middleweight belt, and he plans to get there by taking down Nassourdine Imavov in the octagon.
In a candid chat with MMA Fighting in São Paulo, Borralho, known as the “Fighting Nerd,” shared his strategy over a game of chess. He’s been waiting for Imavov to agree to a match-up. Since joining the UFC, Borralho has racked up seven consecutive wins, including a notable victory against Jared Cannonier.
“Imavov [is next]. If he agrees, right?” Borralho stated. “But he doesn’t have much of a choice. It’s the fight that makes the most sense, it’s the fight we need. Whoever wins goes for the belt. It makes sense for the division.”
“It’s the fight that makes the most sense,” he reiterated. “I don’t think he has much choice. The UFC won’t give him much choice. If he doesn’t want to fight, cool, you’re after Caio on the line, and I’ll wait for the end of the year for the belt. But I think he’ll take it. He’s in a good moment, he’s confident, he thinks he can beat me, and I think this is going to be good.”
Imavov recently defeated Cannonier in June 2024 and went on to conquer Brendan Allen and Israel Adesanya. He’s been on a roll with a record of 4-0 and one no-contest since his last defeat. Borralho anticipates finishing Imavov in round two.
“I think it’s a two-round type of fight,” Borralho predicted. “I’ll ask for it to be five [rounds] because that’s what makes sense. Two guys who will go for the belt, so it makes sense for us to fight five rounds before that, right? … I think this is the fight that will take me to the belt. It will give me more confidence. Like, I beat the No. 1, I beat a good, young guy, who’s coming off many wins, and in a good moment. I think that’s the type of opponent I need right now. That’s what I like the most about this. And also because he’s the No. 1 contender. Beating him takes me to my dream, the belt.”
The UFC hasn’t revealed who will challenge Du Plessis for his 185-pound title next, but Borralho isn’t expecting any surprises.
“I think we’ll have the Dricus-[Khamzat] Chimaev fight now, but this one is a chess match,” Borralho mentioned. “I’ve always bet against Dricus and was always wrong. I don’t know if I want to bet against Dricus, but of course I see Chimaev winning. That grappling game, if Dricus doesn’t prepare exclusively for that, I think he can lose the fight in the first or midway through the second. But if he handles the pressure after the first, halfway through the second, I think he starts to have an advantage.
“I think they’re both difficult. Their styles are completely unique. Each one has their own quality in one aspect of the fight. Chimaev is incredible in wrestling, that game, that system. And Dricus is the champion and has beaten so many good people, he’s very confident. And he has the belt, so that adds more weight to the fight. I want to fight whoever wins that one. And may they win in dominant fashion so there’s no need for a rematch and I’m next.”