Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to challenge UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis, who responded by inviting him to spar at his gym. Du Plessis told Borralho he could film and post the sparring sessions if he wished, escalating the exchange. When Borralho told du Plessis to sign a contract, the champion questioned why Borralho believed he was even part of title fight negotiations. Du Plessis then challenged Borralho to come to his gym, which was 30 minutes away, to prove his courage. Meanwhile, multiple insiders have reported that UFC is working on developing a bout between du Plessis and Kamaru Usman instead.
Caio Borralho took his title ambitions directly to Dricus du Plessis's doorstep, traveling to South Africa to confront the UFC middleweight champion in a face-to-face callout — though the exchange produced sparring invitations rather than a signed contract, and the story of who actually fights du Plessis next remains unconfirmed.
Du Plessis, a 32-year-old South African fighting out of Team CIT, holds a 23-3-0 record and sits at number seven in the pound-for-pound rankings. The switch-stance champion carries a 76-inch reach and lands 5.18 significant strikes per minute, complementing his output with 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes. Rather than backing down from Borralho's arrival, du Plessis reportedly invited him to spar at his gym, telling Borralho he was free to film and share any footage. When Borralho pushed for a contract, du Plessis questioned whether Borralho was involved in title fight talks at all, then challenged him to prove himself by showing up to his gym just 30 minutes away.
Borralho, a 33-year-old Brazilian southpaw with an 18-2-0 record, is currently ranked fourth in the middleweight division. Training with The Fighting Nerds, he posts a striking accuracy of 56 percent — among the higher marks in the division — while landing 3.44 significant strikes per minute.
Why it matters
- Du Plessis and Borralho are ranked second and fourth respectively at middleweight, making any bout between them a legitimate title contention fight.
- Multiple insiders have reportedly indicated the UFC is instead targeting a middleweight bout between du Plessis and former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who carries a 21-4-0 record and has not been confirmed for any next opponent.
- Usman, now 39 and listed at welterweight rank eight, would represent a high-profile crossover matchup rather than a straightforward divisional title defense, which adds uncertainty to where Borralho fits in the current title picture.
