Caio Borralho could have referred to as out Dricus du Plessis following his UFC Vegas 96 win, however he expects the UFC middleweight title to alter fingers earlier than he will get his shot on the belt.
“I acquired [Sean] Strickland profitable this struggle, perhaps, as a result of I believe Strickland gained the final one, however perhaps he left a bit bit contained in the octagon that he may perform a little bit extra,” Borralho mentioned Saturday at UFC Vegas 96’s post-fight press convention. “However MMA is loopy. I all the time wager in opposition to Dricus and he all the time wins, so I’m not betting on the subsequent one.
“Let these guys kill themselves and I’m the subsequent one [to challenge for the title].”
Du Plessis and Strickland are anticipated to satisfy in a rematch for the UFC middleweight title subsequent following du Plessis’ profitable title protection over Israel Adesanya at UFC 305. Du Plessis and Strickland beforehand met in January at UFC 293, the place du Plessis stole away Strickland’s belt with a razor-thin cut up choice win.
Borralho, 31, has nice curiosity within the final result of that rematch following his victory over Jared Cannonier on Saturday evening.
Borralho pushed his undefeated UFC report to 7-0 at UFC Vegas 96 by placing collectively the best efficiency of his octagon profession in his first UFC primary occasion. Regardless of being identified largely as a grappler, Borralho outstruck Cannonier in an all-standup affair and even practically knocked out the one-time title challenger with a thunderous salvo of punches within the fifth spherical. The judges finally scored the bout unanimously in his favor (49-45, 49-45, 48-46), and Borralho left the UFC APEX pleased with the assertion he made to the division.
“I wasn’t there to grapple. I used to be there to convey hearth and be snug within the hazard, as a result of Jared’s a really harmful opponent,” Borralho mentioned.
“My jab was was on level, my calf kicks have been on level, and I simply did the job. I nearly acquired the end. I believe the ref ought to have completed it, ought to have stopped the struggle [in the fifth round] as a result of Jared was [hurt] very unhealthy, however it’s what it’s. I’m very grateful to be there [for] 25 minutes with among the finest on the planet — and inform me one man that did that to Jared. Inform me. There’s nobody that did that to Jared the way in which I did it.”
An integral member of Brazil’s fast-rising Preventing Nerds crew, Borralho overcame a nasty reduce under his proper eye at UFC Vegas 96 to intestine out a win within the ultimate rounds. He mentioned post-fight that he in the future hopes to be in comparison with MMA legends like Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones by being thought-about “one of the clever guys that ever stepped into the octagon.” After regularly working his approach up the UFC ladder since debuting with back-to-back appearances on the promotion’s Contender Sequence in 2021, Borralho believes he’s lastly on the doorstep of proving that he and his crew belong alongside MMA’s elite.
“I believe [this win] takes me to among the finest on the planet,” Borralho mentioned. “Like, I’m prime 5 proper now. At the very least, I deserve a top-five spot on Tuesday. And I believe I proved myself as among the finest within the division — that I can strike. That I can’t solely grapple, I can strike. I’ve the grappling, I’ve the wrestling, I’ve the sturdiness, I’ve the chin, I’ve the ability.
“I believe I confirmed everybody that tonight, and it’s simply going to take me to my belt. The mantra of this coaching camp was to point out the brand new champ arrived, and I believe I confirmed that a bit bit. If I’m not the subsequent one [to fight for the title], no less than when there’s a dialog about who’s the subsequent one, my identify goes to be round there. I do know that.”
That being mentioned, Borralho additionally made it clear that he’s not desirous about slowing down. After racking up seven wins over his first 28 months below UFC contract, Borralho is more than pleased to proceed including to his résumé whereas du Plessis and Strickland deal with enterprise.
“I desire a title shot, that’s for positive, however I’m an organization man,” Borralho mentioned.
“Whoever Hunter [Campbell] and Dana [White] ship me to struggle, in the event that they’re folks above me or one thing like that, just like the struggle that I deserve, the struggle that’s going to place me much more near the belt, I’m going to take it, as a result of I’m the corporate man.”