UFC 319 is just two weeks away, and there could be a new middleweight champion.
The division has been heating up recently with Reinier de Ridder’s win over Robert Whittaker in their top-five showdown, which has potentially seen the Dutchman earn himself a shot at the winner of the 319 main event.
Dricus Du Plessis is now set to make his third defence of his UFC crown against a juggernaut in Khamzat Chimaev.
One MMA legend has said Du Plessis is in for a ‘rude awakening’ when he faces the Chechen who was taken to the wire by former champion Kamaru Usman two years ago.
UFC 319 backup opponent believes Dricus Du Plessis vs Khamzat Chimaev is 60/40 in favour of the challenger
But as is always possible in the company, either man could pull out at the last minute due to injury, and this is where backup opponent Caio Borralho comes in.
The Brazilian explained he was ready to step in against either man but would prefer a showdown with the champion if anything were to go wrong.
Borralho, though, believes Dricus is a slight underdog, even if he has been proven wrong by ‘Stillknocks’ in the past.
He said: “I always bet against DDP, and he always shuts my mouth, but I feel like this fight can be as fast as the fight with Khamzat and Whittaker, like a finish in the first round or beginning of the second round.
“60% of me says that Khamzat will finish this fight real fast, but 40% says that Dricus, with his size, height, and weight, he is a big guy for the division.”
Already in camp for a fight of his own, he is looking to climb the rankings anyway with a September clash against Nassourdine Imavov.
He explained how the South African can take advantage of his opportunity if he commits to one part of the game plan.
“I think he can stop the takedowns or even survive the first two rounds, and then the fight gets better for him,” Borralho said.
Caio Borralho dismisses Reinier de Ridder win over Robert Whittaker
One member of the ‘Fighting Nerds’, though, was not impressed with the win for de Ridder against Whittaker at the last Fight Night.
The ‘Dutch King’ beat the middleweight legend by a razor-close decision to take his #5 ranking.
However, during an interview on Submission Radio, the 32-year-old did not hold back on his title chances.
“I think De Ridder actually won the fight even if it was close, but I don’t think this is a fight that makes him a backup or in a position to be coming for the belt, or even the loser of Dricus and Chimaev,” he said.
“There are a lot of other guys in front of him. He just beat Bo Nickal, and then he beat Whittaker, but to be honest, Whittaker wasn’t even there.”
A win in Paris could see the sixth-ranked contender leapfrog Reinier and earn the coveted top spot on the list.
Potentially, a victory sets up a fight between the pair, which could easily settle the score for the next title challenger.