Caio Borralho expects that a title shot could be imminent if he finishes his upcoming opponent.
The next middleweight championship bout is already set, as Dricus Du Plessis will put his 185-pound strap on the line against Israel Adesanya at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia on Aug. 17. Borralho admits that while he has always mentally wagered against Du Plessis, the champ has proven him wrong time and again. And yet, Borralho predicts that “Stillknocks” will be dethroned by Adesanya due to a stylistic disadvantage.
“I always bet against Dricus you know, but I always lost,” Borralho told MMAjunkie.com. “Not money, but I always think that he was going to lose the fights that he got, but he did an amazing job and won the fights… But this time I think I’m gonna be again against him. I think Adesanya – stylistically I don’t see this fight match. I think Adesanya can manage the distance a lot, can kick him a little bit more. Because all of [his] previous opponents try to box him. I think Adesanya is going to kick him a lot, manage the distance, circle out. I think he’s not gonna find a good shot on Adesanya. And I think Adesanya can win this fight for sure.”
Aside from the title fight, the middleweight title scenario has top contenders Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev booked for UFC 308 in October. Meanwhile, Borralho headlines the first card of his promotional tenure opposite Jared Cannonier at UFC on ESPN 62 on Aug. 24 at the promotion’s Apex in Las Vegas. “The Natural” believes that a decision win over Cannonier puts him in the same league as others in the upper echelon of the division. However, Borralho expects an immediate title shot with a flashy finish over “The Killa Gorilla.”
“Just winning is gonna put me in the mix with all these contenders in the Top 5. But after winning [in an extremely impressive way], if I knock out Jared Cannonier or if I finish him on the ground or anything like that, I think it puts me right away to next contender. My last mantra in the fight with Paul Craig is that I was going to KO Paul Craig, and I did it. And now the mantra to this fight is that, I’m gonna show the new champ has arrived… But anything that the UFC wants to give me, I’m a company man you know.”
Borralho is undefeated in six UFC outings and fresh off a knockout win over Craig this past March. Meanwhile, Cannonier is coming off a controversial TKO loss against Nassourdine Imavov this past June.
