Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to call out middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, who responded by inviting the challenger to his gym for a sparring session with permission to film and post the footage. Borralho dismissed the offer, telling Du Plessis to stop acting like a child and sign the contract instead. Du Plessis fired back questioning why Borralho thinks his name is even part of contract negotiations and challenged him to come to the gym, which is 30 minutes away. Meanwhile, multiple insiders have reported that a bout between Du Plessis and Kamaru Usman is in development, suggesting Borralho may not be next in line for a title shot.
Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and ranked contender Caio Borralho exchanged a public war of words after Borralho traveled to South Africa specifically to confront Du Plessis with a title-shot demand, only for the champion to respond with a sparring invitation rather than a contract signature.
Du Plessis, who carries a 23-3-0 record and holds the number-seven spot on the pound-for-pound rankings at 32 years old, told Borralho to come to his gym — reportedly just 30 minutes away — for a sparring session he was free to film and post publicly. The South African champion, who fights out of Team CIT, averages 5.18 significant strikes per minute and adds a consistent grappling threat with 2.22 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Borralho, ranked fourth in the middleweight division with an 18-2-0 record, rejected the offer sharply, telling Du Plessis to stop acting like a child and simply sign the contract. The 33-year-old Brazilian southpaw, who fights for The Fighting Nerds, lands 56 percent of his significant strikes — one of the sharper accuracy marks in the division — and brings a 75-inch reach into every fight.
Du Plessis fired back by questioning whether Borralho's name is even part of current contract discussions, a pointed remark that landed with added weight given what is happening behind the scenes.
Why it matters
- Multiple insiders report that Du Plessis versus Kamaru Usman is actively in development, potentially pushing Borralho down the queue despite his top-five ranking
- Usman, a former welterweight champion now ranked eighth at 170 pounds, holds a 21-4-0 record and would represent a high-profile crossover matchup for Du Plessis
- If the Usman fight is confirmed, Borralho's path to a title shot becomes considerably less clear, making this public confrontation feel more urgent from his side
