Khamzat Chimaev was set for war this summer. UFC 317, International Fight Week, the middleweight crown on the line—it was all lining up perfectly. Until it wasn’t. After all, chaos rarely waits its turn in the UFC. With champion Dricus Du Plessis reportedly injured, the fans were left in a frenzy over what the UFC would do to replace this highly anticipated matchup. And what did they do?

Enter Caio Borralho. The No. 6-ranked middleweight wasted no time in making a case for himself to step in for the champion. But who would he face? Well, the Brazilian originally had his eyes set on Nassourdine Imavov, the man who recently knocked out former champion Israel Adesanya. However, it looks like the No. 1 ranked middleweight contender isn’t too keen on taking on ‘The Natural’ just yet!

Nassourdine Imavov shuts down Caio Borralho’s call-out and opens the door for Khamzat Chimaev

In a heated tirade on social media, Caio Borralho unleashed a salvo on Imavov for allegedly turning down a fight against him. In a series of scathing posts on X, the Brazilian phenom claimed that Imavov said, “no to fight me!” and “If I was him, I would look in the mirror and feel shame for myself!”

Undefeated in the UFC so far, Borralho has emerged as one of the most dangerous fighters in the 185 lbs division. And with both men known for their exciting fighting styles, it would have been a certified classic. But for ‘The Sniper,’ it was a trap in disguise. Why?

In a recent video on Instagram shared by ‘Championship Rounds,’ Imavov explained, “He’ll get KOed. He’ll sleep, then they’re gonna say, ‘it’s normal, he was ranked no. 1, you see. ”

In his eyes, Borralho was trying to climb the ladder by falling forward. Lose to Imavov and still get praised for the risk. He continued, “That’s their way of managing their careers. Falling forwards, you get it, it’s better to fall forwards than backwards.”

To him, this wasn’t a fair fight. It was a setup with no reward. Yet, patience, Imavov claimed, is the true secret in this game. “People aren’t patient,” he said. “The key is patience, true or not?” That final rhetorical jab landed like a clean counter. He’s not here to play into other people’s narratives. He’s waiting for gold—and won’t be baited by a lower-ranked callout.

So with Imavov out of the picture, who’s left? Well, Borralho has seemingly turned his sights on Khamzat Chimaev! In a recent post on X, he wrote, “Khamzat said yes! The only thing that makes sense is the Interim belt! This fight is gonna be bigger than him vs Dricus! Marks my words. ”

Confident? Sure. But there’s a catch. As of now, Imavov is still the top contender, not Borralho. However, if the French fighter is really not interested in taking on ‘The Natural,’ then the clash against Chimaev just might be the only move to make. But the champion isn’t staying silent either, as he recently fired back at Khamzat Chimaev’s claims about his reported injury!

Dricus Du Plessis gives Chimaev a harsh reality check on the last “2.5 years”

The tables have turned—and fast. After reports of a Dricus Du Plessis injury began to swirl, Khamzat Chimaev wasted no time pouncing. “This guy biggest bulls—-,” Chimaev posted on X, throwing gas on an already smoldering fire. But ‘Stillknocks’ didn’t take the jab lying down. The champ fired right back, pulling out the receipts. “Let’s take a look at the last +-2.5 years and tell me who’s bulls—-,” he replied on social media, clearly done with the back-and-forth. And he might have a point.

Since late 2022, Du Plessis has fought six times, including three title bouts. Chimaev? Just three. Add to that a trio of scrapped fights and some well-known visa struggles, and suddenly, the champion’s frustration makes sense. The South African didn’t stop there. He further posed a loaded question, “Was the fight signed?” A subtle reminder that nothing was ever officially sealed for UFC 317. Just hype. No contract. No date.

Still, it stings. For fans, the clash between Chimaev and Du Plessis was shaping up to be a banger. So, will the UFC pivot to Borralho vs. Chimaev? Will Imavov stay patient or be forced into the fire? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!