Khamzat Chimaev finds himself in a peculiar position. While on the mat he has a string of matchups lined up, the situation is different when it comes to the Octagon.
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The Chechen star lost his UFC middleweight title this past May. While he sits atop divisional rankings, there has been a dearth of matchups that could potentially put him back in the title race for a rematch with the champion Sean Strickland. Meanwhile, his foray into Real American Freestyle (RAF) is taking him places. To offset the imbalance, Chimaev called out fighters, including former opponents, a few days ago. The development, however, took a surprising turn after he zeroed in on a particular name among them.
“Caio 🫡,” Chimaev’s latest X post read.
The cryptic message followed a previous tweet where he called out Sean Strickland, who defeated him on May 9 at UFC 328 to claim the middleweight title, Dricus du Plessis, whom Chimaev defeated a year ago to become the champion, and top-ranked contenders Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho.
So, for the 32-year-old to specifically name Borralho now, there are considerable doubts and speculations.
They largely stem from the mixed reports about Khamzat Chimaev sticking at 185 pounds or moving to light heavyweight after the loss to Strickland. Speaking to reporters during the post-fight press conference of UFC 328, Dana White revealed that Chimaev had approached him and said that he no longer wished to compete in the middleweight division.
Amid allegations that he did not make weight, Chimaev clearly looked out of place as he struggled to fight at 185 lbs. Considering what he seemingly told White, the matter became complicated after he called out Strickland for a rematch a day after the loss.
So given that history, it may come as a surprise to some that Chimaev still aims to get back into the title picture at middleweight.
Caio 🫡
One reason Chimaev could be targeting Borralho is that the division currently finds itself in a state of flux since Strickland became champion. While Chimaev does not have a matchup lined up, a few spots below him, things have started moving.
Coming off his first UFC loss to Imavov in September last year, Borralho rebounded by scoring a big win when he outpointed former ONE middleweight champion Reinier de Ridder earlier in March at UFC 326. He was reportedly in talks for a face-off against Joe Pyfer. The fight was supposed to take place on August 15 at UFC 330. However, the matchup fell through after Borralho reported a rib injury.
The Brazilian now aims for a return at the yet-to-be-finalized UFC 334, which is expected to take place on November 14 at Madison Square Garden. As such, Caio Borralho was the only one to immediately respond to Chimaev’s callout.
“Finally someone called my name! My brother u know I love you, and I’m ready MSG November or T Mobile December! Just let me know,” he replied on X.
Despite the nod, Khamzat Chimaev should not get his hopes high.
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While open to a matchup against any fighter in the top-10 rankings, Borralho also seems interested in facing Pyfer and Brendan Allen.
Meanwhile, Imavov, who hasn’t fought since the September 2025 win over Borralho, and Du Plessis, who came off an unofficial title eliminator against Kamaru Usman in July, are now expected to face Strickland in his first defense as a second-time champ.
The middleweight picture now looks open.
Things have been more active for Chimaev on the wrestling mat. Since making his debut at RAF two months ago, when he defeated Dillon Danis at RAF 10, the Chechen is poised to face former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley at RAF Moscow this weekend.
Two weeks later, he will step in against former opponent Gilbert Burns in the co-main event of RAF 13 at Watsco Center in Miami, Florida.
With those positive developments on the wrestling mat, Chimaev likely hopes to find similar success in the Octagon as well. By beating a top-ranked contender like Borralho, he could position himself as a potential candidate for a shot at Strickland, who previously hinted at their rematch.
“Y’all keep asking me when I’m gonna fight again. Shoulder is getting solid; need a little longer. As to who I’m fighting… Chimaev keeps running his f–king mouth. Want me to teach you how to cut weight so you can stop bit-hing for a second, L?” Strickland’s X post on July 30 read.
It’s too early to predict who Chimaev gets to fight in his return. Fans should, however, keep an eye on the situation. Who knows, Borralho may get matched up against the Chechen in November?