For most of Israel Adesanya’s lengthy title reign, the Middleweight title picture revolved around just a few names. Aside from “Stylebender,” the Middleweight mix largely consisted of Robert Whittaker, Marvin Vettori, Paulo Costa, and Jared Cannonier. Adesanya beat up all of them, sometimes twice over.
For a couple years, those same names fought each other repeatedly to work towards title shots. It wasn’t a logjam per say — Adesanya was a very active champion after all — but new contenders weren’t breaking into the title mix very often. That changed suddenly thanks to the likes of Alex Pereira, Sean Strickland, and of course, current kingpin Dricus Du Plessis in that Middleweight has crowned multiple new champions in the last couple years.
Still, the others remain. Whittaker is closing in on his third title shot since losing the belt. Vettori is injured but remains highly ranked. Costa has slid down a few notches to No. 8, but Cannonier rounds out the Top Five and could’ve possibly secured a title shot last time out were it not for a controversial stoppage. In short, while the belt has changed hands several times, the usual top contenders remain largely unaffected.
Enter Caio Borralho and The Fighting Nerds.
Borralho faces off opposite Cannonier this Saturday (Aug. 24, 2024) in the main event of UFC Vegas 96. It’s a big step up in competition for Borralho but a well-deserved one. 16-1 as a professional, the Contenders Series pickup has consistently proven himself a cut above most at Middleweight, demonstrating a well-rounded and intelligent approach to fighting.
Since debuting in April 2022, Borralho has won six straight inside the Octagon. His initial wins involved a lot of wrestling and relatively little damage, but he’s since shown improved kickboxing and finishing ability. Two of his last three victories come via stoppage, including a quality knockout win over Paul Craig last time out.
As a fresh face at just 31 years of age, Borralho represents the new wave of Middleweight contenders. If he can defeat Cannonier and keep the his undefeated UFC streak going, there’s suddenly a new player in contention for a title shot alongside the likes of Strickland and the Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev victor. Speaking of, Khamzat could be another member of that new wave, but that requires actually showing up to fights.
Borralho’s big opportunity comes just as his Fighting Nerds MMA team has begun to pick up serious moment and some mainstream recognition. They’re the squad of Brazilian fighters who keep winning fights then donning silly glasses. Borralho has thus far led the charge, but we’re seeing those spectacles more and more often in the UFC Octagon.
They’re not here to take part, They’re here to take over.
Fighting Nerds UFC record (Including DWCS)
Ciao Borralho 8-0
Carlos Prates 4-0
Jean Silva 4-0
Mauricio Ruffy 2-0
Bruna Brasil 3-2 #UFCVegas96 pic.twitter.com/0UDhcE5Y07— DiaztwinsMMA (@DiaztwinsMMA) August 20, 2024
Jean Silva, for example, just recently picked up two absurdly violent stoppage wins over two quality contenders at two different weight classes in just two weeks! The man obviously has serious potential at Featherweight. Similarly, Carlos Prates became the first man to knock out Li Jingliang just a few days ago (watch here), and the chain-smoking Muay Thai ace very much looks like a serious factor at 170-pounds. Mauricio Ruffy is an exciting Lightweight up-and-comer, and even Bruna Brasil — a more recent and often forgotten addition to the Fighting Nerds squad — just picked up the best win of her career over Molly McCann.
The Fighting Nerds are riding a serious wave into the biggest fight of Borralho’s career, and that kind of momentum can certainly play a role on fight night. UFC Vegas 96 may not be the most high-profile fight card of all time, but Caio Borralho represents both the changing guard of contenders at Middleweight and Brazil’s hottest rising fight team.
If nothing else, that makes the main event worth keeping an eye on.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 96 fight card right here, starting with the ESPN+ “Prelims” matches online, which are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. ET, before the main card start time at 10 p.m. ET (also on ESPN/ESPN+).
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 96: “Cannonier vs. Borralho” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.