Reinier de Ridder on Caio Borralho: ‘He’s not the Greatest Grappler or Striker.’

Reinier de Ridder is set to face Caio Borralho in a pivotal middleweight co-main event at UFC 326, with both fighters aiming to rebound from recent losses. The Dutch grappling specialist, formerly a two-division ONE Championship titleholder, offered his candid thoughts on Borralho's fighting approach in a recent interview. This highly anticipated bout will take place on March 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, on a card headlined by Max Holloway defending the BMF title against Charles Oliveira.

De Ridder Analyzes Caio Borralho's Strategy

Ahead of their clash, De Ridder discussed his opponent's style, acknowledging Borralho's effective risk management while outlining his own strategy to disrupt it.

“Yeah. I think what makes him special is that he is very well balanced and he manages risk very well. That’s what makes him special. 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. He does that very well.”

“I think that’s the most important thing in my mind going into this fight. 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. He’s going to try to steal the rounds, control the fight, slow it down. That’s the way he wins. He’s very balanced, very well measured. 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. I want to impose my will, push him back, get him against the cage. That’s what I do best.”

De Ridder is stepping into this fight following a challenging loss to Brendan Allen last October at UFC Fight Night 262, a bout his corner ultimately stopped due to exhaustion after the fourth round. Prior to that setback, he had an impressive run of four consecutive UFC victories within nine months, including wins over notable names like Robert Whittaker, Bo Nickal, Kevin Holland, and Gerald Meerschaert. The 35-year-old, known for his success at middleweight, is keen to re-establish his path toward title contention.

His opponent, the 33-year-old Brazilian Caio Borralho, is also looking to bounce back, having suffered his first UFC defeat in September via a decision loss to Nassourdine Imavov. This followed an impressive 8-0 run in the promotion, which included wins against Jared Cannonier and Paul Craig. Borralho anticipates De Ridder will be at his best, viewing the fight as a crucial opportunity to defeat top-tier competition. While betting odds currently favor Borralho, largely due to his striking prowess, De Ridder's relentless pressure could certainly swing the momentum in his favor.

This co-main event carries significant weight within the middleweight division, especially with Khamzat Chimaev now holding the title. As commentator Michael Bisping has noted, a victory here could propel either fighter into the top-10 rankings. De Ridder's aggressive, forward-moving style is expected to create a compelling clash with Borralho's more calculated and measured approach, promising fireworks under the bright lights of the UFC 326 main card. Expect De Ridder to test Borralho's endurance early by attempting to pin him against the cage.