Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to challenge Dricus du Plessis, but the 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. When Borralho suggested du Plessis sign a contract instead, the South African questioned why Borralho's name would even be part of contract negotiations and challenged him to come to the gym, which was only 30 minutes away. Meanwhile, some insiders have reported that a fight between du Plessis and Kamaru Usman is being developed. The post also notes that Shavkat Rakhmonov concerned fans with rehabilitation footage showing him far from fighting condition, having not competed in over 18 months.
Dricus du Plessis turned Caio Borralho's South Africa call-out into a gym invitation, telling the Brazilian contender to come spar rather than wait for a contract.
Borralho, ranked fourth in the middleweight division, made the trip to South Africa specifically to confront the champion face to face. Du Plessis responded by offering him the door to Team CIT, adding that Borralho was welcome to film and post any sparring footage he liked. When Borralho pushed back and suggested the champion simply sign a fight contract, du Plessis questioned why Borralho's name would feature in contract talks at all, noting the gym was a mere 30 minutes away.
Du Plessis holds a 23-3-0 record and carries the middleweight title at 32 years old. The South African is also ranked seventh pound-for-pound and is one of the busier champions in the sport, averaging 5.18 significant strikes per minute. Borralho enters the conversation with an 18-2-0 record and, at 33, brings steady output of his own — 3.44 significant strikes landed per minute with 56 percent accuracy — along with a background in grappling that includes 1.28 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Adding complexity to the divisional picture, insiders have reported that a middleweight title fight between du Plessis and former welterweight and middleweight contender Kamaru Usman is currently in development, which would push Borralho's case further down the queue.
Why it matters
- Borralho is the fourth-ranked middleweight and has a legitimate claim for a title shot, making the public stand-off more than theatre.
- Reports of a du Plessis versus Usman matchup being developed could delay or sideline Borralho's path to the belt entirely.
- Separately, welterweight third-ranked Shavkat Rakhmonov, who carries a perfect 19-0-0 record, has concerned observers with rehabilitation footage suggesting he remains far from competition after more than 18 months away from the octagon.
