Caio Borralho sees Khamzat Chimaev fight as shortcut to UFC title

In the final stages of recovery after having surgery, Caio Borralho seems eager to step inside the Octagon once again. Recently, the Brazilian took to social media to respond to and accept a challenge made by Khamzat Chimaev to him and three other middleweights. Now, Borralho has explained that he believes a victory over the former UFC Middleweight Champion could earn him a direct shot at the title.

Caio Borralho Sees Shortcut to UFC Title

Chimaev suffered his first professional defeat when he faced Sean Strickland for the middleweight title in May. Although the Russian initially campaigned for an immediate rematch with the new champion, he remains without a date or opponent for his return to the Octagon.

Meanwhile, Borralho is in the final stages of his recovery after undergoing surgery earlier this year. Recently, the Brazilian revealed he is already back to training at nearly full capacity and expects to start a new fight camp within the next few weeks. With Chimaev also currently looking for an opponent, the matchup made sense to Borralho. After all, he is also confident that beating the former champion would earn him a title shot.

"I think so," Borralho told Laerte Viana na Área – MMA. "I like the fight because it shortens the path to the title. I gave an interview saying that maybe I would need two fights before getting a title shot. But if I beat Chimaev, there's no other fight to make. The guy was champion, he lost to Strickland in a close decision. He dominated Dricus and made him look like nothing. So if I beat Chimaev, there's almost a certainty that the belt should be next. The division is a little crazy right now, but beating him could shorten the path to the title. So I definitely find it interesting."

Caio Borralho Wants Five-Round Chimaev Fight

If he faces one of the most dominant grapplers in the UFC, Borralho knows he will have to survive the Russian's dangerous early pressure. However, he believes he can defeat Chimaev if he fights in a strategic way. Borralho also pointed to Strickland's performance against Chimaev as a blueprint and revealed the one condition he would ask for if the UFC books the fight.

"I think it's a good fight," Borralho said. "It's a fight I can win like I always do, in a very strategic way. I have to withstand his strong start. The blueprint is right there in Strickland's performance. We know Chimaev struggles a little to make 185 pounds. He doesn't have the best weight cut and it affects him quite a bit. The only thing I would ask the UFC is for the fight to be five rounds, because it suits me better and makes more sense."

For now, Borralho will have to complete his recovery before returning to the Octagon. However, if the UFC books the matchup and the Brazilian gets past Chimaev, he could find himself just one win away from a title opportunity.