Caio Borralho picks Sean Strickland to beat Dricus Du Plessis in rematch – ‘maybe’

LAS VEGAS – Caio Borralho is done predicting UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis’ fights.

Borralho (17-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC) wonders how Du Plessis (22-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) continues to prevail, previously saying “it’s crazy how bad he is.” Du Plessis recently submitted Israel Adesanya to retain his title at UFC 305.

Sean Strickland (29-6 MMA, 16-6 UFC) is touted to potentially be Du Plessis’ next title challenger, and if the pair run things back, Borralho is picking Strickland to win.

Or is he?

“I got Strickland winning this fight, maybe, because I think Strickland won the last one, but maybe he left a little bit inside the octagon that he could do a little bit more,” Borralho told reporters, including MMA Junkie, after UFC on ESPN 62. “But MMA is crazy. I always bet against Dricus, and he always wins, so I’m not betting on the next one. Let those guys kill themselves and I’m the next one.”

Borralho emerged as a top middleweight contender after outslugging former title challenger Jared Cannonier in Saturday’s UFC on ESPN 62 main event at the UFC Apex.

He thinks he’s earned a title shot but is willing to take on any top-ranked middleweight to cement himself as No. 1 contender.

“I want a title shot, that’s for sure, but I’m a company man,” Borralho said. “Whoever Hunter (Campbell) and Dana (White) send me to fight. If they’re people above me or something like that, like the fight that I deserve, the fight that’s going to put me even more close to the belt, I’m going to take it, because I’m the company man.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 62.