A UFC Paris star fighting for his title spot snubs UFC middleweight contender but picks two who can beat Khamzat Chimaev.
The middleweight division has become a hotbed for the best fights and talent in 2025, with Chimaev crowned the new champion after beating Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 319.
But the weight class is also producing a whole host of viable contenders with two fights, including a firecracker clash, set to decide the next title challenger.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
‘The Wolf’ had eyed a return to the Octagon in October for the next Abu Dhabi card after his dominant performance, but has yet to pencil in an inaugural title defense.
UFC Paris star snubs contender as he picks middleweights with the best chance of beating Khamzat Chimaev
At UFC Paris, though, it will become clearer who will be one of the next in line as the main event pits ranked contenders Nassourdine Imavov against Caio Borralho.
Borralho is looking to climb the rankings from his seventh position to knock the second-ranked home country fighter, Imavov, off his perch.
During an interview with Shak MMA, the 32-year-old was asked who out of himself, his opponent, Anthony Hernandez, and Reinier de Ridder had the best chance of beating Khamzat.
The Brazilian said: “I don’t think it’s crazy because, I think RDR has a good style because of his jiu-jitsu on the bottom but I don’t think he can survive the pressure of Khamzat even one round. I don’t think he’s ready for that. He’s not used to the level of competition of UFC still.
“I don’t think he has the tools to take all the grappling from Chimaev. I think the guy, that can go and do good, it’s myself and Fluffy (Hernandez). And the only thing about Fluffy is that I don’t know how his jiu-jitsu position game is that is very dominant.
“His cardio that is very dominant. That is a big threat for Khamzat. If he gets Khamzat frustrated and tired, he’s going to do very good, but I don’t know after he gets taken down how he’s going to behave with his back on the bottom.”
Hernandez has just come off an impressively dominant finish of Roman Dolidze in the Apex and now finds himself in a bout against de Ridder.
‘The Dutch King’ won a razor-close decision over Robert Whittaker, but the fight drew some criticism for the scoring.
Their bout in Canada is being built as the de facto number one contender clash, although an impressive victory on Saturday in Paris could turn that honour in favour of the main event fighters.
UFC Paris star Caio Borralho picks his one best weapon to frustrate Khamzat Chimaev
Caio will have to silence the French crowd if he wants to stake his claim as the next in line to a champion he knows very well.
He was once part of a training camp with ‘Borz’ and believes this experience will be a key factor in a future fight.
However, one key skill of his has given him even more confidence in being the first man to beat the dominant Chechen.
“I think my jiu-jitsu, you know, I think I can give a lot of threats on him on my jiu-jitsu on my ground game if it’s on the bottom or on the top, but mostly on the bottom because he might take me down,” he said.
“I’m going to frustrate him. Denying his steps and showing all my versatility. So my jiu-jitsu and when it comes to my striking, my distance control, and my feints, I’m going to make him shoot at the wrong time.
“So I think it’s going to be two of the best athletes in the world facing each other and giving threats to each other and trying to k- – – each other.”
However, the ‘Fighting Nerd’ will have to look for a finish in the Imavov fight to impress the organisation’s top brass sufficiently to earn this opportunity.