Caio Borralho is ready and willing to take last-minute offers to challenge for the UFC middleweight belt if the opportunity presents itself on Feb. 8.
Dricus du Plessis puts that title on the line in the main event of UFC 312 in Sydney and there are no backup fighter enlisted nor other middleweight contests on the card. Knowing that, and seeing Renato Moicano receive an offer on less than 48 hours’ notice at UFC 311, Borralho will be around just in case despite receiving no official offer from the promotion to serve as a backup.
“[The UFC] invited me to go to Australia, I’m going there as a guest fighter and to corner Bruna [Brasil],” Borralho told MMA Fighting. “I’m going to Australia with these two assignments, and I’ll be ready for any occasion, too. I’m lowering my weight and training hard, so I’m doing my part. The right fight will come at the right time.”
Borralho said he already planned on start losing weight before seeing Moicano get the opportunity for the lightweight championship bout when Arman Tsarukyan withdrew from a fight with champion Islam Makhachev in Los Angeles—unlike Borralho, Moicano was set to compete at UFC 311 already, originally against Beneil Dariush—and seeing that unfold was the confirmation that he had to stay ready. Borralho said he currently weighs 216 pounds, but the “sacrifice” will be worth it.
The Fighting Nerds talent is 7-0 under the UFC banner with key wins over Jared Cannonier and Paul Craig, and he will check on his friend Strickland upon landing in Australia. He will also feel the vibe coming from du Plessis’ camp to decide whether or not he continues to cut weight for Friday.
“I wouldn’t forgive myself if there was an opportunity and I wasn’t ready, you know?” Borralho said. “I’m doing everything. If I don’t have the opportunity, I know I’ll get a fight soon. There are some good cards coming up. The UFC and I, and my manager, we’ll find a solution. … This preparation will be like a pre-camp to fight in March or April.”
Borralho called out former champion Israel Adesanya after beating Cannonier, but the UFC booked the Nigerian star in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Saudi Arabia card versus Nassourdine Imavov. Borralho said he’s felt anxious for some time waiting for a call regarding his future, but knows in his heart that “this is the year I’ll become champion of this division.”
“I don’t know what’s going on,” Borralho said of lack of fights for him, as most of the other top-ranked middleweights are busy. “The UFC hasn’t said anything, but I think they’re waiting. The last thing I heard from them was that they would wait these two big fights in the division, the title fight and also Adesanya and Imavov. I think they want to see how they play out, how exciting they are, and if it’s worth a rematch in case Strickland wins, and how to add me to the mix.
“[Adesanya] told me once he wants to fight me. I think he’s taking this [Imavov] fight as a hype-up fight for him to get back to the wins against someone more — I’m not saying it’s an easy fight, but maybe easier to decipher than me, with less weapons than me, who might gas quicker. He’s made this decision to go back to the good wins and feel confidence. I think he definitely wouldn’t say no if he had an opportunity to fight me.”
Borralho expects Adesanya to win a decision or even knock Imavov out early as the French middleweight “always slows down after the second round,” and foresees Strickland re-claiming the middleweight throne a week later.
“Personally, I thought Strickland won the first fight, but wouldn’t say that Dricus winning was a robbery,” Borralho said. “I think this fight will also be close. Let’s see who adapts better, who made the right adjusts. But I think Strickland has a good head to become champion again. He knows that being champion means money comes easier and in more quantity, more frequently. I think it’s going to be a tough fight. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dricus won this fight, but I think Strickland takes this.”
