Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to call out middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, who responded by challenging him to come spar at his gym. Du Plessis told Borralho he could film and post the sparring footage if he wanted, while also dismissing talk of a title contract. Meanwhile, insiders have reported that a potential 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, as he hasn't competed in over 18 months.
Middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis turned a public call-out into a sparring invitation after Caio Borralho traveled to South Africa to confront him directly, with Du Plessis telling the Brazilian contender he was welcome to come train at his gym and even post the footage afterward.
Du Plessis, 32, holds a 23-3-0 record and currently ranks second in the middleweight division, sitting seventh on the pound-for-pound list. The South African switch-hitter out of Team CIT is one of the more active offensive fighters in the division, averaging 5.18 significant strikes per minute alongside a wrestling threat that produces 2.22 takedown attempts per 15 minutes. His dismissal of any talk of a title contract signals he is not feeling pressure from Borralho's campaign.
Borralho, 33, has built a compelling case for a title shot of his own. Fighting out of The Fighting Nerds, the southpaw Brazilian carries an 18-2-0 record and sits fourth in the middleweight rankings. He lands 3.44 significant strikes per minute at 56 percent accuracy, and his grappling credentials add another dimension to his game.
Adding complexity to the middleweight picture, insiders have reported that a fight between Du Plessis and former welterweight and middleweight champion Kamaru Usman is in development, which could affect the timeline for any Borralho title opportunity.
Why it matters
- Du Plessis publicly accepting a sparring challenge keeps the rivalry alive without committing to a contract
- Borralho at fourth in the rankings remains in position to push for a title fight if the Usman bout falls through
- A Du Plessis versus Usman matchup, if confirmed, would temporarily sideline the division's other top contenders
Separately, third-ranked welterweight Shavkat Rakhmonov, the unbeaten 31-year-old Kazakh fighter who stands six-foot-four with a 77-inch reach and carries a perfect 19-0-0 record, has drawn concern from fans after rehabilitation footage surfaced suggesting he remains well short of fighting shape, with more than 18 months now passed since his last competitive outing.
