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Top contender reveals middleweight ‘fight to make’ for Dricus du Plessis title shot

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Chris De Santiago | Last updated Feb 17, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Caio Borralho knows exactly what's standing between him and a title fight with Dricus du Plessis.

One of the more promising prospects to break through the UFC rankings recently, Borralho (15-1) has won 7 in a row in the promotion, not far off from middleweight gold after battering last weekend's headliner Jared Cannonier to a bloody pulp in his last fight back in August.

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The middleweight division finds itself in an interesting time, with four-straight main events this month which continues this Saturday. The champion Dricus du Plessis reigned supreme in his rematch against Sean Strickland and a new #1 contender was crowned a week earlier, as Nassourdine Imavov KO'ed former champ Israel Adesanya in two rounds.

IMAVOV JUST KNOCKED OUT ADESANYA #UFCSAUDIARABIA pic.twitter.com/JyFbvGzzvO
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) February 1, 2025

Borralho Suggests Title Eliminator With Nassourdine Imavov

Absent from the ongoing action is Borralho, 'The Fighting Nerd' calculating his next opponent if #2 contender Khamzat Chimaev is indeed next for Dricus du Plessis.

"That's what I'm telling the UFC - if I can choose, of course I wanna fight Imavov," Borralho told Submission Radio. "I think he's the number one guy together with me running to be the next title contender."

Timothy D. Easley/Special to the Courier-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

"So, I think it makes sense to put us two to fight and see who's the real number one title contender that's gonna have a shot at the belt. That's the fight to make."

An Alternative Fight

Champ du Plessis suggested Imavov fight the #3-ranked Borralho at the UFC 312 press conference but, other fighters like Jared Cannonier believe Imavov could very well wait for a title fight, arguably deserved after four-straight wins capped off by Adesanya.

Jared Cannonier tells former foe he best wait on UFC title shot

Whatever the case may be for Nassourdine Imavov, Caio Borralho likes the sound of a fight with Robert Whittaker, too.

"If I have a great win against him, like a good knockout or a good finish, I think I'm going straight to the belt," Borralho said of a potential fight with the former champion. "So, definitely I think it's the only two fights that make sense."