A big Middleweight matchup is reportedly being in the works for UFC 326 on March 7th in Las Vegas. Top contenders Caio Borralho and Reinier de Ridder are set to face off, according to Leo Guimaraes MMA.
Borralho Looking to Bounce Back
Caio Borralho (17-2, 1 NC) suffered his first loss in the UFC in September when he dropped a decision to Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Paris. Before that, the lead Fighting Nerd was undefeated in the octagon with an 8-0 record and wins over notable names like Jared Cannonier, Paul Craig, and Abus Magomedov. The Fighting Nerds product was on the verge of a title shot before the setback, so he’ll be looking to restart his climb to the title.
De Ridder’s Momentum Halted
Reinier de Ridder (21-3) also saw his first UFC loss in October when his corner stopped the fight before the fifth round against Brendan Allen. The former ONE Championship double champ had gone 4-0 in just nine months with wins over Robert Whittaker, Bo Nickal, Kevin Holland, and Gerald Meerschaert. However, he was soundly beaten by Brendan Allen in Canada and couldn’t make the call for the fifth and final round.
Both fighters need a win to re-establish themselves at the top of the Middleweight division. The matchup pits Borralho’s well-rounded game against de Ridder’s unorthodox grappling and finishing ability, with the winner likely setting themself up with a title eliminator later in the year.
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