Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to challenge Dricus Du Plessis, but the champion responded by inviting him to spar at his gym instead. A social media exchange ensued with Borralho calling on Du Plessis to sign a contract, while Du Plessis questioned why Borralho's name would even be in title negotiations and challenged him to actually come to the gym. Meanwhile, multiple insiders have reported that a fight between Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman is currently being developed. The post also mentions that Shavkat Rakhmonov concerned fans with a rehabilitation video showing him far from fight-ready condition, having been out of the cage for over a year and a half.
Caio Borralho made a bold move by traveling to South Africa to confront middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis in person, but the situation has taken an unexpected turn, with unconfirmed reports now suggesting the UFC is developing a title fight between Du Plessis and former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman instead.
Borralho, known as "The Natural," holds a 18-2 record and sits fourth in the middleweight rankings at 33 years old. The Brazilian southpaw out of The Fighting Nerds lands 3.44 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy and averages 1.28 takedowns per 15 minutes. After making the trip to South Africa, he took to social media to demand Du Plessis sign a contract, pushing his case for a title shot.
Du Plessis, 32, carries a 23-3 record and is ranked second pound-for-pound at number seven. The South African switch-hitter out of Team CIT is one of the division's most active strikers, producing 5.18 significant strikes per minute, and adds 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes to his game. He responded to Borralho's callout by inviting him to actually train at his gym and publicly questioned why Borralho's name would be part of title negotiations at all.
Whether Borralho's name belongs in that conversation may be moot for now. Multiple insiders report — though nothing is officially confirmed — that Du Plessis's next assignment is being built around Usman.
Separately, undefeated welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov has drawn concern from fans after a rehabilitation video circulated showing the third-ranked 185-pounder far from fight shape. The 31-year-old Kazakh, who owns a perfect 19-0 record and a remarkable 60 percent striking accuracy, has not competed in over a year and a half, and the footage suggests his return remains some way off.
Why it matters
- Du Plessis vs. Usman, if confirmed, would sideline the middleweight's top-ranked contenders despite active callouts
- Borralho's fourth-place ranking and public pressure campaign may not be enough to move the queue
- Rakhmonov's extended absence and unclear recovery timeline creates uncertainty at the top of the welterweight division
