Caio Boralho vs. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev were elevated to co-main event at UFC Vegas 51 in April 16 following the cancellation Uriah H. Hall vs. Andre Muniz. For Borralho, it feels like destiny.
Borralho signed a contract with the UFC after defeating Aaron Jeffery and Jesse Murray in a span of three weeks at Dana White‘s Contender Series, extending his winning streak to nine ahead of his UFC debut.
” We’ve been hard at work for a while away from the spotlight and have trained for eight years with no one knowing about us,” Borralho stated in an interview to MMA Fighting. “The world will finally get to see who I am. Part of the world saw us on the Contender, and now the world will see what we’re doing in the co-main event. I’m more than ready.”
Borralho promises to be the man to watch in this division, which has had Brazilians champions Anderson Silva, Murilo Bustamante, and a wide range of talent such as Andre Muniz and Alex Pereira.
” People will be able to see the new face in Brazilian MMA,” he stated. “The new face of Brazilian MMA will debut Saturday, and that’s me, Caio Borralho. It’s been a long journey to this point and I will be making a lot noise. Let’s get on the microphone and let it rip. The UFC will see they signed the right man. I’m the one to sell pay-per-views worldwide, not only in Brazil.”
Borralho, who turned 29 in January, started his MMA career in 2014 but only fought three times in 40 months, going 3-1 in that span. Borralho stated that he was too inept in training and had to have five shoulder surgeries. He said that he has been injury-free since 2017, and that he had never thought he’d be joining the UFC.
“I was willing to pay the price to get where I am,” Borralho said. I could have waited 10, years for whatever reason. And now, eight years later, here I am, debuting in the co-main event, with [Omargadzhiev] all mapped out.”
With four knockouts, three submissions in 10 professional MMA victories, Borralho stated that he would show Dana White why he was chosen to be the co-headliner. Omargadzhiev, who is 13-0 as a professional, also joined the company through DWCS, tapping Jansey Silva with a kneebar.
“I’m sure he will try to take me down because he will be annoyed by my distance,” Borralho said of his opponent. He won’t be able to find me on my feet, and will throw the overhand. His only style was to fight men who were standing in front of him. And he knows how good my jiu-jitsu is. I’ve trained with Demian Maia for six years and I’m a black belt under his coach Wagner Mota.”
” I’m picturing him doing a knockout using a knee or an overcut, because he will shoot at my legs. But if we go longer, I have a good guillotine,” he continued. He shoots from my side and will get confused on his feet. I’ll score points until it’s time to land my hand and knock him out.”
