UFC 301 | Exclusive: “By the end of 2025, I will own the UFC middleweight title” – Caio Borralho

Caio Borralho will fight for the first time on a main card of a PPV. The Brazilian is really looking forward to fighting in Rio de Janeiro.

“For me this is huge. Rio de Janeiro is the mecca of MMA for Brazil. There is so much history here. So many fantastic fights have taken place here with José Aldo also on the card. I just want to taste the atmosphere and hear the crowd when I fight on Saturday. This will be a hundred times better than my previous match in São Paulo.”

For Borralho, his match against Paul Craig is of course very important. It is the first time that he can compete with a ranked fighter and that is something Borralho has been waiting for for a while.

“This is a good fight for me. Craig is above me in the rankings and I really just want to look up. I don’t feel like fighting athletes below me. I’m prepared for Craig to be very dangerous from his back. He has finished many good fighters at light heavyweight. I think I’m better though. I have been training with Demian Maia for over seven years and am a legitimate BJJ black belt. I will start the match standing, but if he pulls me into his guard then I will exhibit my BJJ.”

In addition to Borralho himself, his teammates Jean Silva and Mauricio Ruffy are also fighting on the prelims. Borralho is of course also looking forward to the match of his teammates.

“Jean Silva is a real finisher. He won ten of his twelve matches in the first round via knockout. Mauricio Ruffy has nine wins, all by knockout, eight of which came in the first round. We expect first round knockouts and all a bonus. I hope we can increase it to $100,000 per bonus. Silva 100,000, Ruffy 100,000 and I 101,000 so we win $301,000 together at UFC 301.”

The Fighting Nerds team that Borralho is part of is an emerging gym from Brazil. Previously mentioned names and Carlos Prates are doing well in the UFC. Borralho has an explanation for it.

“We approach MMA differently than others. We are very professional in our attitude and study our opponents in detail. We are always well prepared, both physically and mentally. I think that’s why we’re successful. I expect we will expand our roster of seven UFC fighters this year during Dana White’s Contender Series.”

Caio Borralho has big plans for this year and next year the Brazilian expects to play a very important role in the middleweight division.

“After I beat Paul Craig by knockout, my name will be more known around the world. I hope that I will then get even better opponents and I will prove myself against them. My expectation is that I will hold that middleweight title by the end of 2025. That is the goal I have in mind and I am fully committed to it.”

There is no preview show for this event. The broadcast of the prelims starts on Sunday morning, May 5 at 2 a.m. on discovery+.

At 4 a.m. it’s time for the main card with expert commentary from Sander Schrik and Marloes Coenen, which can also be seen on discovery+.