May 4, 2024; Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BRAZIL; Paul Craig (red gloves) fights Caio Borralho (blue gloves) during UFC 301 at Rio Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

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Khamzat Chimaev And Caio Borralho Trade Verbal Blows As Dricus Du Plessis Fight Falls Through!

Caio Borralho and undefeated Khamzat Chimaev trade verbal jabs after alleged Dricus Du Plessis' fight cancellation!

May 4, 2024; Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BRAZIL; Paul Craig (red gloves) fights Caio Borralho (blue gloves) during UFC 301 at Rio Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports

UFC fans have seen this movie before. Just when a big fight gets everyone excited, the injury bug strikes again. The start of 2025 brought disappointment when Arman Tsarukyan pulled out against Islam Makhachev. Now it seems lightning has struck twice. Reports suggest middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis is injured and won’t defend his title against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 317. The timing couldn’t be worse with International Fight Week just around the corner.

This unfortunate situation has created an unexpected war of words between Chimaev and Brazilian fighter Caio Borralho. When one door closes, another opens. Or at least someone tries to kick it down. That’s exactly what Borralho did when news broke about Du Plessis. He quickly volunteered as a replacement opponent, setting the stage for a heated exchange with the undefeated Chechen. Their back-and-forth has given fans something to talk about while UFC officials scramble to salvage their main event.

Also Read: Tom Aspinall Teases Massive UFC Fight News As Jon Jones Superfight Hype Reaches Fever Pitch!

Khamzat Chimaev Dismisses Caio Borralho’s Challenge

When Borralho publicly called for a fight with Chimaev, he probably didn’t expect such a harsh response. Khamzat didn’t mince words in his reply.

“If we will fight hundred times, you will never win if somebody knows you know that bro.”

His confidence isn’t surprising after his performance against Robert Whittaker at UFC 308. That fight showcased Chimaev’s dominance when he not only submitted “The Reaper” but broke the Australian’s mandible in the process.

Chimaev’s dismissal of Borralho carries extra weight given his undefeated record. The Chechen Wolf has been nearly untouchable in his UFC career, steamrolling through competition with a combination of wrestling prowess and surprising striking power. His frustration seems directed less at Borralho and more at the situation with Du Plessis. Chimaev even commented on Kevin Iole’s tweet about the champion’s injury, calling it “biggest bulls**t.” Clearly, he had his heart set on fighting for the title.

Caio Borralho Fires Back With Confidence

Borralho wasn’t about to back down after Chimaev’s dismissal. He response showed that he wasn’t intimidated by the Chechen’s reputation.

“If you say so Khamzat Chimaev. Sign the contract and we will see.”

Khamzat Chimaev and Caio Borralho go back and forth on Instagram 👀🍿

🗣️ Khamzat: "If we will fight hundred times, you will never win if somebody knows you know that bro 😂😂😂😂"

🗣️ Caio: "If u say so! Sign the contract and we will see 😉🤓"#UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/A3J6wZda61
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) April 21, 2025

It is interesting to know that Borralho had trained with Chimaev for about five weeks in Sweden and Las Vegas. So he knows how the Chechen fighter works. This previous training history adds another layer to their potential matchup. Whether UFC brass will put this fight together remains uncertain, but fans are certainly intrigued by the possibility of seeing if Borralho’s confidence is justified or if Chimaev would prove his prediction correct.

(Image Credit: Jason Silva – Imagn Images)

Caio Borralho

Dricus Du Plessis

Khamzat Chimaev

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!