TLDR
- Reinier de Ridder faces Caio Borralho in the UFC 326 co-main event on March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
- De Ridder says Borralho excels at risk management but isn’t the greatest grappler or striker
- Both fighters are coming off their first UFC losses and looking to rebound
- Borralho is a -235 betting favorite while de Ridder is a +180 underdog
- De Ridder plans to use pressure and cage control to disrupt Borralho’s measured fighting style
Sources: tapology.com | lowkickmma.com | mmajunkie.usatoday.com
Reinier de Ridder and Caio Borralho will face off in the co-main event at UFC 326 on March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Both middleweights are looking to bounce back from their first losses inside the octagon.
In a recent interview with Emiel Sardarean, de Ridder broke down what makes his Brazilian opponent dangerous. He said Borralho’s strength lies in his balance and risk management rather than being exceptional in any one area.
“He’s not the greatest grappler, he’s not the greatest striker, but he knows when to press and when to step back, and he knows when to explode,” de Ridder said. “He does that very well.”
De Ridder’s Game Plan
The Dutch fighter explained that Borralho prefers to control the pace and steal rounds with measured attacks. De Ridder plans to counter this approach with constant pressure.
“He’s going to want to make it pretty. He likes to bounce in and out, throw a couple of shots, take a step back, look, see,” de Ridder said. “I do my best work when I put pressure on, get in your face, hit you with good stuff, take you down, and choke you out.”
#UFC326 Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira 2 Full Card ⚔️
at T Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV on March 7th 🔥#ufc #mma pic.twitter.com/RBw7HoM8mv— West Till Death (@WestTillDeath) March 2, 2026
De Ridder wants to push Borralho against the cage and impose his will. The 35-year-old former two-division ONE Championship champion believes this strategy plays to his strengths.
De Ridder enters the fight with a 21-3 record and a 4-1 mark in the UFC. He lost to Brendan Allen in October at UFC Fight Night 262 when his corner stopped the fight after round four due to exhaustion.
Before that setback, de Ridder won four straight UFC fights in nine months. His victories came against Robert Whittaker, Bo Nickal, Kevin Holland, and Gerald Meerschaert.
Borralho Looking to Rebound
Borralho brings a 17-2 record into the fight with a 7-1 UFC mark. The 33-year-old from Sao Paulo suffered his first octagon loss to Nassourdine Imavov in September at UFC Fight Night 258.
That defeat ended a 17-fight unbeaten streak for Borralho. During his 8-0 UFC run before the loss, he scored wins over Jared Cannonier and Paul Craig.
According to FanDuel, Borralho opens as a -235 favorite while de Ridder is a +180 underdog. The betting line reflects Borralho’s perceived striking advantage.
The fight serves as the co-main event under the Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira 2 main event. Holloway defends his BMF title against the former lightweight champion.
Both de Ridder and Borralho hold rankings in the UFC’s top 10 at middleweight. De Ridder is ranked number nine while Borralho sits at number eight.
The winner will position themselves for a potential move up the middleweight rankings. Current champion Khamzat Chimaev holds the belt at 185 pounds.
De Ridder has competed five times in the past year before his loss to Allen. The high activity level may have contributed to his body breaking down in that fight.
Borralho trains out of Fighting Nerds Gym in Sao Paulo, Brazil. De Ridder represents Combat Brothers gym in Breda, Netherlands.
The Tapology community picks favor Borralho with 68 percent predicting him to win. De Ridder has 32 percent of the community picks.
UFC 326 takes place on Saturday, March 7, 2026, with the main card streaming on Paramount+. The event will broadcast at 5:00 PM Eastern Time from Las Vegas.
