Caio Borralho eyes UFC 334 return

Caio Borralho is back in the gym after the rib injury and surgery that removed him from a planned UFC 330 bout with Joe Pyfer. Although he places his recovery at about 90 to 95 percent, the middleweight says his training is already unrestricted. He told MMA Fighting that he is working in grappling, wrestling and striking as he prepares for another run in the division. His preferred destination is UFC 334, scheduled for New York on Nov. 14. Borralho sees that card as an opportunity to return to the middleweight conversation with a fight against someone in the top 10.

There is no announced opponent and no reported UFC booking for Borralho. His objective is a target, not a finalized arrangement. He expects to be ready to begin a camp in three or four weeks and considers the Madison Square Garden event an ideal date for his timetable. The request is not centered exclusively on Pyfer, even though their cancelled matchup remains of interest to him. Borralho says he is waiting for the UFC to bring him a name that works for him, the promotion and the division, and that he would accept the appropriate fight right away. That leaves him focused on the level of opponent rather than on one particular rivalry.

A broad search for Borralho’s next fight

The forced withdrawal was unfamiliar territory for Borralho. He said cancelling the Pyfer contest because of injury was the first time he had pulled out of a UFC fight since earning his place in the UFC. While he described the situation as frustrating, he also viewed the time away as a chance to improve parts of his game and look after his body. Now that training has resumed, he says he feels as if he is moving toward the best shape of his life. Pyfer is still among the possible names in Borralho’s view. Borralho called their original pairing a strong matchup and said he expects they will meet sooner or later.

Pyfer recently stopped former UFC champion Israel Adesanya and pushed his winning streak to four, according to the report. Yet Borralho is not insisting that the UFC revisit that exact fight next. He also mentioned Brendan Allen as a potential opponent and noted that Allen and Pyfer could fight each other. The central point is his desire for a top-10 middleweight. His case begins with his latest result. Borralho defeated Reinier de Ridder in March, responding to a decision defeat against Nassourdine Imavov. He pointed to de Ridder’s performance against Roman Dolidze the previous weekend as further context for the March win. Borralho described his UFC record as 8-1, with seven consecutive wins before the loss to Imavov. In his assessment, the de Ridder victory restored momentum, but it did not eliminate the need for another significant assignment.

That is why Borralho has framed his goal in measured terms. He believes he is one or two victories from a title shot, rather than presenting himself as an immediate title challenger. A top-10 opponent at UFC 334 would offer a route to add another meaningful result, but only if the promotion puts forward a suitable name. Borralho’s position is easy to read: he is cleared to train, wants Nov. 14 in New York and has no opponent. The aim is a top-10 matchup that builds on the de Ridder win, not a forced reunion with one specific rival.

Title debate shapes the middleweight field

Borralho’s pursuit unfolds alongside an unresolved championship picture. Khamzat Chimaev is seeking an immediate rematch after Sean Strickland took the belt from him in May. Strickland won their fight by split decision, giving Chimaev the first MMA loss of his career. Borralho had trained with both men and said the striking exchanges between them were what surprised him most. He expected Chimaev to pursue takedowns in the opening round and believed Strickland would be difficult to hold down because of his composure and ability to get back to his feet from bad positions.

Borralho also referenced Chimaev tiring in previous fights while describing the contest as close. In Borralho’s opinion, Imavov should receive the next title opportunity instead of Chimaev. He cited Imavov’s prior short-notice light heavyweight defeat to Strickland and said Imavov has done what was necessary to earn a shot. Borralho’s own outlook is less about naming a guaranteed next challenger than recognizing the importance of upcoming fights near the top of the division. He said Pyfer, Allen and other contenders are part of that group, and that the winner of the next relevant contest could be next for a title chance. That wider title debate does not change Borralho’s immediate position: he is training again, targeting UFC 334 and waiting for the promotion to offer an opponent.

• He says he is active in grappling, wrestling and striking while placing recovery at roughly 90 to 95 percent.
• He expects to be able to start camp in three or four weeks and is targeting UFC 334 in New York on Nov. 14.
• His request is for a top-10 middleweight, not solely a rebooking with Joe Pyfer.
• No opponent or official UFC booking was reported.

Borralho has a defined destination but not a confirmed matchup. After surgery and a period away from competition, he says he is training fully and expects to be ready to start camp within three or four weeks. UFC 334 is his preferred return card, and a top-10 middleweight is the type of opponent he wants. Pyfer remains a possible opponent, Allen is another name he raised, and Borralho is open to any matchup that makes sense for the division. Until the UFC supplies that name, his stated aim is to build on the de Ridder victory and chase the one or two wins he believes could place him in title contention.