The UFC’s (and the fans’) misfortune continues. How did we kick off 2025? By losing the main event of the first PPV of the year, when Arman Tsarukyan pulled out against Islam Makhachev right before the weigh-ins. Now, all signs are pointing to International Fight Week losing Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat Chimaev, owing to a reported injury to the middleweight champion. So, it’s no surprise that Caio Borralho caught Chimaev in a bad mood with his step-in request.
Dricus Du Plessis has reportedly injured himself and excused himself from his slated title defense against ‘Borz’. But that doesn’t mean that the Chechen Wolf will be left without an opponent. To save the day, Caio Borralho has swooped in with a challenge for Chimaev. MMA Hoje recently shared a video on their Instagram profile, where Borralho tried to attract Dana White and Hunter Campbell’s attention. ‘The Natural’ said, “So, I think you all heard the news. So, I heard that Dricus Du Plessis is hurt for a period of time, so, I know a guy that never say no to any fights. Dana, Hunter, you know who to call. I’m waiting.”
But the undefeated Chechen middleweight contender wasn’t letting it go easily. He took to the comments section and gave Borralho an unexpected reality check. Chimaev wrote, “If we will fight hundred times, you will never win if somebody knows you know that bro,” followed by four laughing emojis. This confidence indeed stemmed from his latest success in the Octagon against Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. ‘Borz’ didn’t just submit ‘The Reaper’, but he did so with extreme finesse. He broke the Australian’s mandible and showcased a level of dominance that no one in the fighting realm expected him to have.
And as things continued to get a bit turbulent, the Fighting Nerd also claimed that Chimaev agreed to fight him. Taking to X on 20 April 2025, Borralho wrote, “Khamzat said yes! The only thing that makes sense is the Interim belt!” But he wasn’t done. Borralho further claimed that his fight against ‘Borz’ would be much more interesting than Chimaev vs. Du Plessis. However, as of now, the UFC has yet to confirm these claims. But we do know one thing. Borralho has often shown confidence against Chimaev.
Why does Caio Borralho believe that he can beat Khamzat Chimaev?
During an appearance on the JAXXON podcast back in 2024, ‘The Natural’ weighed in on a fight against ‘Borz’. That’s where he revealed, “Actually, I have an advantage against all the guys that should face him. I trained with him for about five weeks over in Sweden and then afterward in Las Vegas… So, I kind of know a little bit about his system, what he wants to do next, and what he wants the [other] guy to do next so he can advance in his system. I think I have advantages because I studied a lot of this…” He continued, “I was paying attention [during training]. I was helping him for sure, but I was also paying attention to everything.”
However, it seemed like the Chechen Wolf was still stuck in the fight against the middleweight champion. After all, when Kevin Iole shared the news of Du Plessis’ injury with the fighting community, Chimaev took to the comments section on the tweet and dropped in just four words to reveal his thoughts. He wrote, “This guy biggest bulls—.” These words were followed by a facepalm emoji. Nevertheless, we still might get to witness the war that Chimaev brings into the Octagon.
What do you think of the matchup between Chimaev and Borralho? Do you think it’s a more exciting matchup than Du Plessis vs. Chimaev? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.
The post Khamzat Chimaev Unleashes Wrath on Caio Borralho After Unexpected Injury to Dricus Du Plessis Before UFC 317 appeared first on EssentiallySports.