UFC 301 is up and underway and we are already seeing some epic performances. Despite the criticisms regarding the event, fans are enjoying the event owing to the energy and jovial mood of the fans inside the arena. That said, let’s take a look at what transpired in the main card fight between Caio Borralho and Paul Craig.
For those unaware, Brazil’s own Caio Borralho was part of the native platoon as they put on a show for the fans at UFC 301 in Rio De Janeiro. All things considered, Borralho has always been knocking on the door of breaking into the top 10 of the middleweight division and has made a good case for himself thus far.
Middleweight madness opening up the main card ‼️@PaulCraig vs @BorralhoCaio
[ LIVE on @ESPNPlus PPV | #UFC301 ] pic.twitter.com/3kePD1ZGQ1
— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
On the other side is former light heavyweight contender Paul Craig, trying his hand and making a run at middleweight. Having made a successful debut at 185, Craig lost out to mainstay and #6 ranked contender Brendan Allen in his last outing. That said, he will be looking to defend his position with a win and possibly call for another top-10 opponent.
Caio Borralho floors Paul Craig within two rounds
As for the fight itself, both men started off on the outside. Whilst Caio Borralho can be a mean brawler, he is wary of the threat that Paul Craig poses on the ground. Thus, the game plan from the Brazilian looks to be to step in, tag his opponent, and immediately step out. Notably, the fighter seems like the faster man out of the two as well.
That said, Craig did manage to get Borralho on the ground momentarily after catching a leg kick. However, Caio, recognizing the threat on the ground immediately gets back up. As always, the Scotsman tries to pull guard after taking a hit, but Borralho doesn’t fall for it. Clearly, the Brazilian has put in a lot of work to refine his striking, to the point it almost has Craig a little panicked.
THIRTEEN IN A ROW 😱@BorralhoCaio gets the 2nd round KO! #UFC301 pic.twitter.com/YQBy86Ywrg
— UFC (@ufc) May 5, 2024
Throughout the first round, Craig hardly threw a punch, using leg kicks, takedowns, and guard pulls only. That said, the second round saw ‘The Natural’ push the pace even more and land a flying knee that sent Craig reeling. Smelling the blood in the water, Caio Borralho tagged his man with a huge left and a combination to slump Paul Craig against the cage. Big won on a big occasion for the 31-year-old.
Caio Borralho calls for Jared Cannonier after UFC 301 win
By all means, one of the biggest wins of Caio Borralho’s career so far. Having arrived in the UFC through the Contender Series in 2021, Borralho has been incredibly consistent with his performances since then. Now moving to 6-0 in the UFC and 17-1 overall, Boraalho is all set to make the move up and look for a challenge higher up the rankings.
Following the win over Paul Craig, Borralho’s joy and excitement was evident as he broke down to Daniel Cormier how his opponent was a ‘test’ and that he managed to pass it with flying colors. Undoubtedly, it was the best performance of the Brazilian so far in his tenure. As expected, he is hungry for a bigger challenge and had a very interesting call out to make.
“I think now it’s time for a top 10 or even a top 5 fighter. So, with all the respect, Jared Cannonier, you’re a scary dude, but I wanna test myself against you. Let’s see who is the scariest motherf***er in this Earth!”
Whether or not he gets his matchup against the #4 ranked former title challenger Jared Cannonier remains to be seen. Whilst some would have preferred to see Ciao Borralho go for fighters closer to his ranking, his ambition and willingness to enter the title picture is something that the fans will love. That said, things could get real confusing at the top of the middleweight division with both Paulo Costa and his lookalike running amuck.
