Caio Borralho Sees Sean Strickland as Khamzat Chimaev's Toughest Challenge

UFC middleweight Caio Borralho has voiced his opinion that Sean Strickland presents a more significant challenge to reigning champion Khamzat Chimaev than fellow contender Nassourdine Imavov. Imavov, despite his impressive five-fight winning streak and a previous victory over Borralho in 2025, is seen as less likely to dethrone Chimaev.

In a recent interview, Borralho commended Strickland's impressive performance at UFC Houston, where he secured a third-round TKO victory over Anthony Hernandez. This win, according to Borralho, has firmly re-established Strickland as a strong title contender.

Why Strickland Over Imavov?

When prompted to compare Imavov and Strickland's prospects against Chimaev, Borralho unequivocally chose the American. Despite Imavov ("The Sniper") having previously ended Borralho's unbeaten UFC run, Borralho contends that his former training partner, Strickland ("Tarzan"), has a superior chance against the Chechen-born Emirati champion.

Borralho elaborated on his reasoning, acknowledging Imavov's superior striking speed and technique. However, he expressed concerns that Imavov would struggle significantly against Chimaev's dominant wrestling. In contrast, Borralho believes Strickland could offer more resistance to Chimaev's takedowns, potentially tiring him out, even while recognizing the unparalleled nature of Chimaev's wrestling. Ultimately, he affirmed his belief that Strickland would perform better in such a matchup.

Borralho further highlighted Strickland's attributes, including his potent jab, unyielding forward pressure, unconventional striking, and his knack for controlling the fight's tempo and defending takedowns, as factors that could pose a significant threat to the UFC middleweight champion.

Separately, Borralho himself recently returned to the win column at UFC 326, securing a unanimous decision victory over Reinier de Ridder. Following his win, "The Natural" called out former champion Dricus du Plessis, stating during his octagon interview, "Dricus du Plessis, where are you, boy?"