Caio Borralho He is a Brazilian standout in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Caio Borralho is one step away from getting his shot at the UFC belt, but he prefers not to think about it for now. The Fighting Nerds representative is scheduled to face Nassourdine Imavov No. UFC Paris and hasn't fought in almost a year. Despite the expectation of reaching the top of the middleweight division (up to 83,9 kg), his focus is completely on the commitment on European soil.
In an interview with 'Ag Fight', Caio reaffirmed this focus on his current opponent, highlighting that winning this fight is the inevitable path to winning an opportunity for the belt.
“I’m only thinking about this fight. I don’t think there’s a future. I’m very focused. I’ve seen a lot of athletes make mistakes because they think about the future: ‘If I win this one, I’ll get the belt,’ and they always lose. I know that’s already implicit. If I win this fight, there’s no way I’ll get the belt. But I’m focused on Imavov. He’s number one. We were supposed to be fighting in Vegas now. That’s the fight that was offered to me and I accepted it right away. But he ran away, and I’m going to have to pick him up at his house,” he said. Caio Borralho.
Inactive since August 2024, Caio Borralho has been studying the Russian Imavov for almost a year and knows his patterns and movements well. He emphasizes that his opponent is a very high-level athlete, fast and with a speed that can surprise, but he plans to use his positioning to wear him down over the course of the five rounds. Confident, the 'Nerd' believes that he can take advantage of his rival's anxiety and secure victory in front of the local crowd.
“He’s acting calm, but I know he’s emotional. It’s a fight he didn’t want, so I’m going to use that to my advantage. I’m going to his house to finish him off… I’ve been studying him for almost a year. It’s the fight I wanted and it’s already well mapped out. We’re finalizing the details of the patterns and movements he makes. He’s very good, we’re talking about the highest level of the sport. He’s number one, he knocked out Adesanya. He’s a good, fast, confident athlete, and his greatest quality is his speed. In the fight, it’s going to depend on how I position myself so as not to get scared by his speed and gradually take away his energy. There are five rounds, which favors my style, and I’m really excited to make him give up in front of his people,” he concluded. Caio Borralho.
Caio Borralho's provocations were fundamental for Imavov to accept the challenge
Caio Borralho (right) and Nassourdine Imavov (left) are in the main fight of the UFC Paris. Photo: SUPER FIGHTS montage
Before the duel was announced, Caio Borralho spent months campaigning for a fight against Nassourdine Imavov, publicly challenging his rival on multiple occasions. The Frenchman, however, seemed more interested in serving as a reserve for the division's title fight, between Dricus du Plessis e Khamzat Shimaev, at UFC 319, in August, but changed his mind and agreed to star in the third edition of the UFC in the French capital.
In a post on social media, Imavov expressed in public the withdrawal of serving as a reserve for the title dispute and pinned Caio Borralho, stating that he was willing to talk and ready to 'break the Brazilian'.
“I’m not going to be a reserve anymore. Conditions have changed. You wanted to say, son, I’m here, I’m going to break you, Caio Borralho”, wrote the Frenchman.
The Brazilian's response was in an even louder tone.
“You finally stopped hiding, huh? You don’t decide anything, you do what you’re told to do. You’ve tried to avoid this fight for so long and EVERYONE knows it. Now, you’re going to do what you’re told: face me! I make the rules here. Say goodbye to France, I’m sending you back to Dagestan,” he replied.
Brendson Ribeiro joins Caio Borralho to represent Brazil at UFC Paris
Besides Caio Borralho, another Brazilian athlete will be in the octagon on French territory. This is Brendson Ribeiro, who, after defeat to Azamat Muzarkanov, is preparing to face the Frenchman Oumar Sy, on September 6th, at UFC Paris. The information was obtained first-hand by SUPER LUTAS.
A representative of Brazilian TKO, Brendson is known for his knockout power and his pursuit of submissions. He is making his sixth appearance in the Octagon, hoping to get back closer to the top 15 in the division, currently dominated by Magomed Ankalayev. So far, the Pará native has 16 victories on the fast track. This will be the athlete's first appearance in the French capital.
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