Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to challenge Dricus Du Plessis, prompting an exchange between the fighters. Du Plessis responded by inviting Borralho to come to his gym and spar, offering to let him post videos of the sessions. Borralho replied telling Du Plessis to stop acting like a child and sign a contract. Du Plessis countered by questioning what contract Borralho was referring to and challenged him to actually show up to the gym, which was 30 minutes away. Meanwhile, insider reports suggest a Du Plessis versus Kamaru Usman fight is being developed. Additionally, Shavkat Rakhmonov concerned fans with rehabilitation footage showing him far from fighting condition, having been out of the cage for over 18 months.
Caio Borralho took his middleweight title ambitions directly to South Africa, traveling to confront Dricus Du Plessis on his home soil in a move that sparked a sharp back-and-forth between the two contenders.
Du Plessis, the ranked number-two middleweight and number-seven fighter on the pound-for-pound list, responded to Borralho's visit not with a contract demand but with an open invitation to come spar at his gym. The 32-year-old South African, who carries a 23-3 record and lands an eye-catching 5.18 significant strikes per minute, told Borralho he was welcome to come in and even post footage of the sessions. Du Plessis later questioned exactly which contract Borralho was referring to and pointed out the gym was only thirty minutes away.
Borralho, ranked fourth in the middleweight division, was having none of it. The 33-year-old Brazilian southpaw, who holds an 18-2 record and connects on 56 percent of his significant strikes, told Du Plessis to stop acting like a child and simply sign a contract to make the fight official.
The public sparring war comes with an added wrinkle: insider reports indicate the UFC is developing a matchup between Du Plessis and former welterweight and middleweight champion Kamaru Usman, which would potentially push Borralho's hopes to the back of the queue.
Meanwhile, the welterweight division faces its own uncertainty. Shavkat Rakhmonov, the undefeated Kazakh ranked third at 170 pounds with a spotless 19-0 record, drew concern from fans after rehabilitation footage surfaced showing him a considerable distance from fighting shape. The 31-year-old has not competed in over eighteen months.
Why it matters
- A Du Plessis versus Borralho middleweight bout would pit the number-two and number-four ranked contenders against each other, with significant title implications.
- Reports of a Du Plessis versus Usman negotiation could sideline Borralho despite his public campaign for the fight.
- Rakhmonov's extended absence and worrying physical footage leave the welterweight top five in a state of flux.
