TLDR
- Borralho will fight unranked Yousri Belgaroui at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden
- The top-ranked middleweight accepted the risky matchup to stay active after six months out from emergency rib surgery
- Borralho predicts Mauricio Ruffy will knock out Arman Tsarukyan if Tsarukyan tries to strike at UFC 331
- He believes Tsarukyan must wrestle for two to three rounds to avoid Ruffy’s knockout power
- Borralho calls both the Tsarukyan-Ruffy fight and a potential Prates-Makhachev bout dangerous for both fighters
Sources: yardbarker.com | mmafighting.com
UFC middleweight contender Caio Borralho is taking a rankings gamble with his next fight while also sharing his predictions for a major lightweight matchup. Borralho will face unranked Yousri Belgaroui at UFC 334 on November 14 at Madison Square Garden.
Borralho currently sits among the top-ranked 185-pound fighters while Belgaroui has no ranking. The Brazilian explained that staying active was more important than protecting his ranking after emergency rib surgery kept him out of action for nearly six months.
“I’ve been almost six months without fighting,” Borralho told Sherdog. “I had to take some time off because I had to undergo emergency surgery on my rib. I want to stay active.”
Borralho said he considers himself one of the best in the world and needs to prove it against whoever the UFC puts in front of him. He acknowledged the fight carries more downside than upside from a rankings perspective.
A win over Belgaroui likely keeps Borralho in his current position rather than moving him up the ladder. But he framed the fight as a necessary step toward an eventual title shot.
Carlos Prates predicts Caio Borralho to beat RDR 👀🔥
“I think Caio is going to win. I think he’s the more complete fighter. He has really good jiu jitsu, really good wrestling, and striking.”
Via: combatkidsmma pic.twitter.com/JQsyYDRJC8
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) December 22, 2025
Teammate Weighs In on UFC 331 Co-Main Event
Borralho also shared his analysis of the upcoming UFC 331 co-main event between Arman Tsarukyan and Mauricio Ruffy. The lightweight bout takes place in Los Angeles on Saturday and could determine the next title challenger in 2027.
“I think Ruffy has the one-shot knockout power that he can turn off anyone in the division,” Borralho told MMA Fighting. “I think if Arman wants to strike him, even if it’s a little bit, he’s going to get knocked out.”
Ruffy has scored back-to-back knockouts in 2026, defeating Rafael Fiziev and Michael Chandler. Tsarukyan has won his past five UFC fights, with victories over Charles Oliveira and Dan Hooker.
Borralho believes Tsarukyan needs to wrestle for at least the first two or three rounds to avoid Ruffy’s striking power. He called it “a 50-50 fight” given the strengths both fighters bring.
Tsarukyan spent recent months competing in wrestling and grappling matches outside the UFC while waiting for his next octagon appearance. Ruffy trains with the same team as Borralho in Brazil.
Comparing Styles and Strategies
Borralho drew parallels between the Tsarukyan-Ruffy matchup and a potential welterweight title fight involving his teammate Carlos Prates against Islam Makhachev. He said both matchups present dangerous challenges for each fighter involved.
“I think it’s a dangerous matchup for both guys,” Borralho said of Prates versus Makhachev. He noted that Makhachev has never faced someone with Prates’ power and leg kicks, while Prates would need to deal with elite grappling.
Makhachev recently defended his welterweight title with a decision over Ian Machado Garry, improving to 2-0 at 170 pounds after vacating the lightweight belt. Prates has only lost once in the UFC, falling to Garry, but has knocked out every other opponent.
Borralho said Prates would need to stay calm on the bottom and make Makhachev work harder to tire him out. He observed that Makhachev appeared more tired in his last fight as he adjusts to carrying more muscle at welterweight.
Borralho bounced back from his only UFC loss to Nassourdine Imavov by stopping Reinier de Ridder in his most recent fight. He plans to beat Belgaroui in November, move on to the next opponent, and then challenge for the middleweight title.
