Caio Borralho could have referred to as out Dricus du Plessis following his UFC Vegas 96 win, however he expects the UFC middleweight title to vary fingers earlier than he will get his shot on the belt.
“I obtained [Sean] Strickland profitable this combat, perhaps, as a result of I believe Strickland received the final one, however perhaps he left somewhat bit contained in the octagon that he might perform a little bit extra,” Borralho stated Saturday at UFC Vegas 96’s post-fight press convention. “However MMA is loopy. I at all times guess towards Dricus and he at all times wins, so I’m not betting on the following one.
“Let these guys kill themselves and I’m the following one [to challenge for the title].”
Du Plessis and Strickland are anticipated to satisfy in a rematch for the UFC middleweight title subsequent following du Plessis’ profitable title protection over Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. Du Plessis and Strickland beforehand met in January at UFC 293, the place du Plessis stole away Strickland’s belt with a razor-thin break up resolution win.
Borralho, 31, has nice curiosity within the end result of that rematch following his victory over Jared Cannonier on Saturday night time.
Borralho pushed his undefeated UFC file to 7-0 at UFC Vegas 96 by placing collectively the best efficiency of his octagon profession in his first UFC primary occasion. Regardless of being identified largely as a grappler, Borralho outstruck Cannonier in an all-standup affair and even almost knocked out the one-time title challenger with a thunderous salvo of punches within the fifth spherical. The judges in the end scored the bout unanimously in his favor (49-45, 49-45, 48-46), and Borralho left the UFC APEX happy with the assertion he made to the division.
“I wasn’t there to grapple. I used to be there to deliver hearth and be comfy within the hazard, as a result of Jared’s a really harmful opponent,” Borralho stated.
“My jab was was on level, my calf kicks had been on level, and I simply did the job. I virtually obtained the end. I believe the ref ought to have completed it, ought to have stopped the combat [in the fifth round] as a result of Jared was [hurt] very dangerous, however it’s what it’s. I’m very grateful to be there [for] 25 minutes with among the finest on this planet — and inform me one man that did that to Jared. Inform me. There’s nobody that did that to Jared the way in which I did it.”
An integral member of Brazil’s fast-rising Combating Nerds workforce, Borralho overcame a nasty minimize under his proper eye at UFC Vegas 96 to intestine out a win within the last rounds. He stated post-fight that he someday hopes to be in comparison with MMA legends like Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones by being thought-about “one of the vital clever guys that ever stepped into the octagon.” After step by step working his approach up the UFC ladder since debuting with back-to-back appearances on the promotion’s Contender Collection in 2021, Borralho believes he’s lastly on the doorstep of proving that he and his workforce belong alongside MMA’s elite.
“I believe [this win] takes me to among the finest on this planet,” Borralho stated. “Like, I’m prime 5 proper now. No less than, I deserve a top-five spot on Tuesday. And I believe I proved myself as among the finest within the division — that I can strike. That I can’t solely grapple, I can strike. I’ve the grappling, I’ve the wrestling, I’ve the sturdiness, I’ve the chin, I’ve the ability.
“I believe I confirmed everybody that tonight, and it’s simply going to take me to my belt. The mantra of this coaching camp was to indicate the brand new champ arrived, and I believe I confirmed that somewhat bit. If I’m not the following one [to fight for the title], at the very least when there’s a dialog about who’s the following one, my identify goes to be round there. I do know that.”
That being stated, Borralho additionally made it clear that he’s not interested by slowing down. After racking up seven wins over his first 28 months underneath UFC contract, Borralho is very happy to proceed including to his résumé whereas du Plessis and Strickland deal with enterprise.
“I need a title shot, that’s for positive, however I’m an organization man,” Borralho stated.
“Whoever Hunter [Campbell] and Dana [White] ship me to combat, in the event that they’re individuals above me or one thing like that, just like the combat that I deserve, the combat that’s going to place me much more near the belt, I’m going to take it, as a result of I’m the corporate man.”
