Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to challenge Dricus Du Plessis, who responded by inviting him to his gym to spar with the option to post videos. Borralho told Du Plessis to stop acting like a child and sign the contract, while Du Plessis questioned what contract Borralho was referring to and said his name isn't even part of negotiations. Du Plessis challenged Borralho to come to the gym within 30 minutes if he had the courage. Meanwhile, a couple of insiders reported that a fight between Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman is being developed. The exchange highlights the ongoing callout culture and social media confrontations in MMA. Other news mentioned includes Shavkat Rakhmonov concerning fans with rehabilitation videos.
Caio Borralho took his middleweight rivalry with Dricus Du Plessis off social media and onto South African soil, traveling to the champion's home country to issue a direct challenge and demand a signed contract.
Borralho, ranked fourth at middleweight with an 18-2 record, made his feelings plain by telling Du Plessis to stop acting like a child and put pen to paper. The 33-year-old Brazilian, who trains with The Fighting Nerds and fights out of a southpaw stance, has built a reputation as one of the division's most well-rounded threats, averaging 3.44 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy while also mixing in consistent grappling pressure.
Du Plessis, the reigning middleweight champion, pushed back hard. The 32-year-old South African questioned what contract Borralho was even referring to, stating his name is not currently part of any negotiations. He then dared Borralho to come to his gym within 30 minutes if he had the nerve, offering to let him spar with the squad and post the footage. Du Plessis carries a 23-3 record and ranks seventh pound-for-pound, averaging a division-leading 5.18 significant strikes per minute and 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Adding another layer to the situation, a pair of industry insiders have reported that matchmakers are developing a fight between Du Plessis and former welterweight and middleweight champion Kamaru Usman, which would explain why Borralho's name may not yet be in play.
Why it matters
- Borralho sits fourth in the middleweight rankings and is pushing for his first title shot, making the champion's availability directly relevant to his career timeline.
- Reports of a Du Plessis vs. Usman negotiation, if accurate, would push Borralho further down the queue despite his ranking.
- The contrasting styles — Du Plessis's relentless striking volume against Borralho's more measured, grappling-integrated approach — would make for a compelling stylistic clash whenever a fight is formally ordered.
Separately, Shavkat Rakhmonov, the undefeated welterweight contender ranked third at 19-0, has drawn attention from fans after rehabilitation videos raised concerns about the Kazakh fighter's physical condition.
