The much-anticipated and almost confirmed middleweight title clash between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 317 during International Fight Week has reportedly been thrown into uncertainty. Fans and fighters alike were excited about the match-up, but recent reports from veteran journalist Kevin Iole suggest that ‘Stillknocks’ has sustained an injury. Iole noted, “I’m hearing Dricus Du Plessis is injured, and though there has been no confirmation, if that’s accurate, a bout between Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev couldn’t headline IFW.”

With the South African unlikely to be ready for a return within the next two months, Chimaev’s hopes of fighting for the 185lbs gold have taken a significant setback. This comes as a frustrating blow, especially after the undefeated juggernaut’s career has already been marred by recurring health issues that resulted in six canceled fights. However, things seemed to be turning around—’Borz’ made crucial adjustments in his camp, including reconnecting with his original coach, and appeared to be on the right path again.

His dominant face-crunch submission win over Robert Whittaker last year put him right in the title picture. But all of that seems to be for nothing as the reigning champ’s injury has stolen the spotlight. Venting his frustration on X, Chimaev didn’t hold back, calling ‘Stillknocks’ the “biggest bull—t.” With the champion out of the picture for now, Chimaev’s path forward is unclear.

Sensing an opportunity, rising middleweight Caio Borralho threw his name into the mix, calling out the Chechen wolf on X with a pointed message: “I know a guy, UFC, you know who to call.” In another tweet, the Brazilian raised the stakes significantly and talked about fighting the undefeated juggernaut for the interim 185lbs gold. “Interim,” the ‘Fighting Nerd’ wrote.

The Brazilian’s callout is being seen as a momentary sigh of relief for Dana White, who is occupied at the moment. With no viable fight to main event UFC 317, fight fans are also worried. On one hand, there is no development in the tug of war that is Islam Makhachev vs. Ilia Topuria. The Dagestani camp is adamant that the Spanish-Georgian must fight a top 155fer before going for gold. On top of that, Charles Oliveira has also made it clear that he won’t compete for anything less than the lightweight title.

Although Tom Aspinall has signalled a positive development on his potential unification bout with Jon Jones, there hasn’t been any official update. Moreover, with Jones allegedly demanding six months to prepare for the bout, the cutoff date for this bout is certainly not UFC 317. And now with Du Plessis also out of the equation, the problems are only increasing as of now.

But much like Dricus Du Plessis, Caio Borralho is an undefeated force in the UFC. His journey began in 2022 after showcasing his skills on the DCWS, and since then, he has faced a number of veteran competitors. ‘The Natural’s strengths are rooted in sparring with well-known fighters in the Octagon, including Sean Strickland and Khamzat Chimaev’s former sparring partner, whom he calls a “good friend.”

Unlike Khabib’s team, which avoids fighting friends, the Chechnya sensation and Borralho have openly discussed facing each other. Having shared training sessions, ‘The Natural’ believes he can outsmart ‘Borz’. But does he really have what it takes? Let’s find out.

Caio Borralho shared his thoughts on a potential fight with Khamzat Chimaev

In MMA, it’s common for fighters from the same training camp to avoid facing each other, but Caio Borralho is an exception. He’s ready to face his former teammate and close friend, Khamzat Chimaev. ‘Borz’ who once trained alongside the Brazilian in Sweden while preparing for his canceled bout against Nate Diaz, is now the primary target for the Brazilian. Despite being ranked three spots behind Chimaev in the middleweight division, Borralho believes he may have the upper hand in a potential fight.

On the JAXXON podcast, the dominant 185fer explained his confidence in facing the Chechnya native, stating, “I trained with him for like five weeks over in Sweden and then after in Las Vegas… So, I kind of know a little bit about his system, what he wants to do next, and what he wants the [other] guy to do next, so he can advance on his system. I think I have advantages because I studied a lot of this – I was paying attention [during training]. I was helping him for sure, but I was also paying attention to everything.”

What do you think of Caio Borralho’s claims? Is an interim fight with Khamzat Chimaev something you’d be excited to watch, or do you think a matchup between Chimaev and Nassourdine Imavov would be the better option? Share your thoughts below!