It may not be pretty, but Dricus Du Plessis always gets the job done. From the moment he first…
It may not be pretty, but Dricus Du Plessis always gets the job done.
From the moment he first stepped inside the Octagon four years ago, ‘Stillknocks’ has been slapped with criticism. Whether it be his awkward style or questionable cardio, everyone had a reason to suggest that ‘DDP’ would never be anything more than a mid-carder.
Fast forward to August 2024 and not only is Du Plessis the middleweight world champion, but he just submitted one of the greatest 185’ers in the history of the sport, Israel Adesanya.
But despite all his success, there are still plenty of detractors. That includes rising contender Caio Borralho who made some disparaging remarks about Du Plessis ahead of his Fight Night headliner inside The APEX this Saturday.
”It’s crazy… I always bet against him [Du Plessis],” Borralho said during Wednesday’s media day. “It’s crazy how bad he is, but how he makes it work… Props to him. Man, I just need to congratulate him because, even with bad technique, bad gameplan, crazy style, he always makes it work. He is winning, he is undefeated in the UFC, so he deserves the spot where he is right now” (h/t Sportskeeda).
Caio Borralho not thinking about a title fight with Dricus Du Plessis just yet
Borralho is currently sitting outside the middleweight top 10, but if he can secure a big win over Jared Cannonier, he’ll thrust himself into the top five and establish himself as a legitimate contender in one of the UFC’s most talent-rich divisions.
But ‘The Natural’ isn’t getting ahead of himself just yet. He knows he has a tough test ahead before he can start thinking about a shot at UFC gold.
“I just think about Jared [Cannonier], I don’t want to think about anything else, but looking forward to get this fight,” Borralho added.
Josh Thomson recently suggested that the UFC might be cutting costs with the upcoming matchup between Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho. The two middleweight contenders are poised to square off in the main event of a UFC Fight Night this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Cannonier is fresh off a contentious […]
Meanwhile, Borralho is riding high after delivering an impressive second-round knockout of Paul Craig at UFC 301 in May. “The Natural” is currently on a six-fight win streak, fueled by his back-to-back standout performances at Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021.
This fight offers distinct opportunities for both fighters: Cannonier is eager to reestablish himself in the title conversation, while Borralho is aiming to break into the top 10 middleweight rankings with a victory this weekend.
Thomson Believes UFC Sees Greater Potential In Borralho For The Future
During a recent episode of the WEIGHING IN podcast with former MMA referee “Big” John McCarthy, Thomson delved into why the UFC might have paired a seasoned veteran like Cannonier with a rising prospect such as Borralho.
“The Punk” speculated that the UFC might either be banking on the Brazilian to rise as a future force in the middleweight division or that this matchup could simply be a strategic move to trim expenses.
Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho are set for a five-round showdown as the main event of this weekend’s UFC…
Jared Cannonier and Caio Borralho are set for a five-round showdown as the main event of this weekend’s UFC Vegas 96. On this fight card, we are reviewing betting odds and looking for solid favorites and live underdogs.
Jared Cannonier vs Caio Borralho
When it comes to sports betting and instant withdrawal casinos, one wants to play the odds. In the main event, Borralho is a slight favorite but Cannonier may be a decent underdog. The US-born athlete has faced the best of the division and is not facing a streaking up-and-comer.
In terms of his fighting statistics, Cannonier lands an average of 4.62 significant strikes per minute with an accuracy of 52%. Cannonier is primarily a striker and averages 0.47 takedowns and a takedown defense rate of 61%. The southpaw grappler Caio Borralho lands 2.91 significant strikes per minute with a striking accuracy of 60%. He absorbs 2.06 significant strikes per minute, and his strike defense is 60%. Borralho averages 1.99 takedowns every 15 minutes, boasting a takedown accuracy of 63%. He attempts an average of 0.5 submissions per 15 minutes.
Cannonier has defeated Marvin Vettori and Sean Strickland but suffered losses to Israel Adesanya. Most recently, he is coming off of a loss to Nassourdine Imavov. Caio Borralho is unbeaten in his eight UFC matches and is coming off a TKO win against Paul Craig.
Due to momentum, Borralho is the slight favorite coming in. But it is possible bettors are overestimating his ability. If you are looking for an underdog Cannonier may be a good pick. Personally, I am sticking with the favorite and thinking Borralho gets it done.
Neil Magny vs Michael Morales
Michael Morales is entering this bout as a heavy favorite against the veteran Neil Magny. Magny has traded wins and losses in his last seven bouts while Morales will be coming in on a five-fight win streak in the UFC. This is a big step up in competition for Morales. If one is looking for a risky underdog, Magny could be an option.
UFC Vegas 96
The biggest odds differential on UFC Vegas 96 is Victoria Leonardo being a heavy underdog to Wang Cong. Cong, of China, is a good favorite to pick in this case. The co-main event between Angela Hill and Tabatha Ricci is a pick ’em fight with even odds. Gerald Meerschaert is an underdog to Edmen Shahbazyan. José Daniel Medina is coming in as an underdog to Zachary Reese. Josiane Nunes is a slight underdog to Jacqueline Cavalcanti. The main event featuring Caio Borralho is booked for this weekend live from Las Vegas on Saturday, August 24.
One of the biggest fights of the year goes down this weekend at UFC 305 when Dricus Du Plessis looks to defend the middleweight title against Israel Adesanya. The two men have been on a collision course with one another for some time now, with all roads eventually leading to Perth, Australia on August 17. […]
One of the biggest fights of the year goes down this weekend at UFC 305 when Dricus Du Plessis looks to defend the middleweight title against Israel Adesanya.
The two men have been on a collision course with one another for some time now, with all roads eventually leading to Perth, Australia on August 17.
However, an interesting match-up doesn’t always make for the greatest of fights, especially when you have someone that is as skilled in one area as Adesanya.
He sees that unlike what Sean Strickland was able to do against Adesanya in the shock upset at UFC 293 last year, Du Plessis doesn’t have the right style to stop the former champ from reclaiming the top spot.
“I think this time, I think Adesanya is going to win this fight. I think stylistically, the two styles doesn’t match a little, doesn’t match at all. I think Dricus just goes forward, try to punch and push the pace up, but I think Israel Adesanya is going to manage the distance all the time, circle up and kick a lot on Dricus and I think he can win by decision during the fifth round or maybe a good knockout in the third round if Dricus gets tired.”
UFC middleweight contender Caio Borralho believes his youth will play a major factor against Jared Cannonier in their upcoming main event. The promotion recently announced a late-notice headliner for the UFC Fight Night at the Apex on August 24, with former 185-pound title challenger and top-five contender Cannonier defending his position on the ladder against […]
Borralho is unbeaten in 15 fights since defeat in just his second professional bout, and he’s extended that run with a perfect 6-0 UFC record since breaking through on Dana White’s Contender Series three years ago.
Having most recently knocked out Paul Craig in emphatic fashion at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro to climb to #12 in the middleweight pecking order, “The Natural” has received a major opportunity.
And although “The Killa Gorilla” marks a big step up in competition for him, the Brazilian expects to be sharing the cage with a fading vet later this month…
Borralho Sees Clear Advantage Over ‘Aging’ Cannonier
During an interview with Mike Owens for InsideFighting, Borralho looked ahead to his recently announced maiden headliner on mixed martial arts’ biggest stage.
While “The Natural” acknowledged the “scary” nature of Cannonier’s power, which has helped him become one of just two fighters to record knockouts across three UFC divisions, he believes the veteran is slowing down.
And with the Brazilian approaching his prime as he rises the ranks at 185 pounds, Borralho is expecting to be the one who “breaks” the 40-year-old.
“He’s number five in the world, so I think it will be a great opportunity for me to show my work and what I’m capable of,” Borralho said. “I’m very excited about this fight because Jared is a very scary guy; fought in three divisions, great knockout power. In the middleweight division, he’s only lost to two former champions. … He lost to Imavov but I think it was an early stoppage.
“I think he’s a good guy to face because it’s gonna really test myself, and that’s what I really want. … I think it’s gonna be another clinical victory for myself,” Borralho continued. “(Cannonier) was slowing down (against Imavov). I saw his fight against Strickland; he did a very good pace, was with a good gas tank. But he was 37, I think 38. Now he’s 40, almost 41. I think the age — I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but I think the age is coming at him. He’s kind of slowing down and not with the same gas tank. I think this will be the breaking point because I’m gonna put the pressure on. … The old man’s not gonna take it, with all due respect.”
Whether or not that plan comes to fruition remains to be seen, but either way, a strong result at the expense of “The Killa Gorilla” will certainly leave him with a prime position in the title picture.
The Apex-held UFC Fight Night on August 24 finally has its headliner, and it’ll see a pair of top middleweights throw down. With less than three weeks remaining until the Las Vegas card, the UFC revealed the main event for Aug. 24 on Tuesday, announcing that Jared Cannonier (17-7) will defend his top-five ranking against […]
The Apex-held UFC Fight Night on August 24 finally has its headliner, and it’ll see a pair of top middleweights throw down.
With less than three weeks remaining until the Las Vegas card, the UFC revealed the main event for Aug. 24 on Tuesday, announcing that Jared Cannonier (17-7) will defend his top-five ranking against the fast-rising Caio Borralho (16-1, 1 NC).
The late-notice bout marks relatively quick turnarounds for both men, with the American controversially defeated by Nassourdine Imavov this past June and the Brazilian up-and-comer getting the better of Paul Craig the previous month.
Cannonier Looks To Rebound From Debated TKO Loss, Blemish Borralho’s Perfect UFC Record
When he makes his return for a second headliner of the summer, the #5-ranked Cannonier will look to quickly erase the memory of his difficult setback two months ago.
The former title challenger, who is one of just two fighters in UFC history to record knockouts in three different weight classes, has been pursuing a second shot at the 185-pound gold since falling short against Israel Adesanya in 2022. While that journey got underway well with wins over then-future champ Sean Strickland and Marvin Vettori, his progress was stalled in controversial fashion when referee Jason Herzog deemed him unable to continue following an onslaught from Imavov in their Louisville headliner.
A couple of months on from that widely questioned setback, Cannonier will return for redemption at the expense of Borralho, a Dana White’s Contender Series alum who has risen to #12 in the division’s top 15 courtesy of a perfect 6-0 record inside the Octagon. “The Natural” most recently secured his second performance bonus by knocking out Craig at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro this past May.
With this addition, the current fights expected to take place at the UFC Fight Night event on Aug. 24 are as follows:
Jared Cannonier vs. Caio Borralho (middleweight main event)
Neil Magny vs. Michael Morales (welterweight)
Angela Hill vs. Tabatha Ricci (women’s strawweight)
Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Gerald Meerschaert (middleweight)
Josiane Nunes vs. Jacqueline Cavalcanti (women’s bantamweight)
Dennis Buzukja vs. Danny Silva (featherweight)
José Medina vs. Zachary Reese (middleweight)
Viacheslav Borshchev vs. James Llontop (lightweight)
Wang Cong vs. Victoria Leonardo (women’s flyweight)