Caio Borralho has outlined his vision for the middleweight division following the Chimaev versus Strickland fight. If Chimaev wins, Borralho suggests the Chechen will move up to light heavyweight, leaving the middleweight belt vacant. In that scenario, Borralho proposes he should face Imavov in a rematch for the vacant title. If Strickland wins, Borralho argues he should be the next challenger since he is the only fighter in the top five that Strickland has not faced. Borralho concluded by asking fans if his proposed scenarios make sense. The Brazilian contender is positioning himself for a title shot regardless of the outcome.
Caio Borralho has publicly laid out two potential paths to a middleweight title shot, contingent on how the upcoming bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland plays out.
Borralho, ranked fourth in the middleweight division, carries an 18-2 record and has built a reputation as one of the more complete fighters in the 185-pound weight class. The 33-year-old Brazilian southpaw lands significant strikes at a rate of 3.44 per minute with an impressive 56 percent accuracy, and adds consistent wrestling pressure with 1.28 takedowns per 15 minutes. He trains out of The Fighting Nerds camp and stands six-foot-one with a 75-inch reach.
The champion he is targeting, Sean Strickland, holds a 31-7 record and has defended the middleweight title he reclaimed. The 35-year-old American out of Xtreme Couture is one of the division's most active strikers, landing 6.04 significant strikes per minute, and stands six-foot-one with a 76-inch reach.
The third figure in Borralho's equation is the number-one ranked contender Chimaev, who brings a 15-1 record and elite grappling credentials into the fight — averaging 5.29 takedowns per 15 minutes and landing strikes at 60 percent accuracy. The 32-year-old representing the UAE is ranked tenth pound-for-pound.
Borralho's logic runs along two tracks. If Chimaev wins and moves up to light heavyweight, Borralho argues the vacant middleweight belt should be decided between himself and Nassourdine Imavov in a rematch. If Strickland retains, Borralho contends he deserves the next title shot on the basis that he is the only fighter currently inside the top five that Strickland has not yet faced. He closed by putting the scenarios directly to fans to judge.
Why it matters
- A Chimaev win and divisional departure would create a vacant title, reshaping the entire 185-pound landscape
- Borralho's top-five positioning and clean record against the current champion gives his argument genuine weight
- His prior history with Imavov adds a built-in narrative for the vacant-title scenario he is proposing
