Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to challenge Dricus Du Plessis, but the middleweight champion responded by inviting him to spar at his gym. Du Plessis told Borralho he could film and post the sparring sessions if he wanted. Borralho called on Du Plessis to sign a contract instead of acting childish. Du Plessis questioned why Borralho thinks his name is even part of title negotiations and challenged him to show up at the gym within 30 minutes. Meanwhile, some insiders reported that a bout between Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman is being developed. Additionally, Shavkat Rakhmonov concerned fans with rehabilitation footage showing him far from fighting condition after being out for over 18 months.
Caio Borralho took his title ambitions directly to South Africa, making a public appearance in Dricus Du Plessis's home country to press the middleweight champion for a fight — only for Du Plessis to respond not with a contract, but with a gym invitation.
Du Plessis, 32, holds the middleweight title and carries a professional record of 23-3. The South African operates as a switch-stance fighter with a 76-inch reach and is ranked seventh pound-for-pound in the UFC. He is one of the division's more prolific strikers, averaging 5.18 significant strikes per minute, and also contributes on the ground with 2.22 takedown attempts per 15 minutes. Rather than engage Borralho's callout on formal terms, Du Plessis invited him to spar at his gym, telling him he could film and post the sessions freely. He then questioned why Borralho considers himself part of title negotiations at all and issued a blunt challenge to show up within 30 minutes.
Borralho, 33, is ranked fourth in the middleweight division and holds an 18-2 record fighting out of Brazil for The Fighting Nerds. The southpaw stands six-foot-one with a 75-inch reach and lands 3.44 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy, also contributing 1.28 takedown attempts per 15 minutes. He rejected Du Plessis's sparring offer publicly and called on the champion to stop what he described as childish behavior and sign a contract instead.
Why it matters
- Borralho sits at number four in the middleweight rankings, making a title shot a realistic next step with a win or a formal booking.
- Reports from insiders suggest Du Plessis may instead be headed toward a bout with Kamaru Usman, which would directly impact whether Borralho enters the picture at all.
- Separately, welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov, ranked third at 170 pounds and unbeaten at 19-0, has concerned fans after rehabilitation footage surfaced showing the Kazakh fighter well short of fighting shape following more than 18 months away from competition.
