Caio Borralho’s First Main Event Puts Spotlight On Fighting Nerds

The São Paulo-based squad, which includes Caio Borralho, Carlos Prates, Mauricio Ruffy, Jean Silva and Bruna Brasil, among others, is having a breakout year in the Octagon. It’s not just the fact that those five are 9-1 in 2024; it’s the way they’re getting it done. Of the nine wins, eight came via knockout.

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And the results aren’t coming against no-names, either. Ruffy scored a first-round knockout in his UFC debut over veteran slugger Jamie Mullarkey at UFC 301. That same night, Borralho knocked out Paul Craig to catapult himself into the Top 15 at middleweight. Silva might boast the best year so far, racking up knockouts over Westin Wilson and Charles Jourdain before moving up 10 pounds on two weeks’ notice to stop Drew Dober in Denver. Brasil showed up in Manchester a couple weeks later to take on Molly McCann in her backyard, battering the scouser for 15 minutes to take home the decision win. Arguably, however, Carlos Prates might have the best resume out of all of them. “The Nightmare” earned his own trio of knockouts over Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke and, most impressively, Li Jingliang, who hadn’t been knocked out in his previous 27 professional fights. 

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Led by coaches Pablo Sucupira and Flavio Alvaro, the team’s signature hollow-framed glasses are synonymous with a Fighting Nerds victory. They have quickly become a cult item, a sort of banner to stamp what Borralho has routinely referred to as the “Fighting Nerds Takeover.” When asked who has the most impressive win of the year so far, he first points out Ruffy’s debut before, like a good leader, spreading the love to each of his teammates and their wins.

While the Fighting Nerds, whose roster also includes veteran Thiago Moises and Kaynan Kruschewsky, is earning more and more notoriety because of its success with the mixed martial arts leader, Borralho is quick to acknowledge the work that came before the success.

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“The crazy thing is the energy was always high in the room,” Borralho told UFC.com. “(Even) when there was no one in the UFC, the energy was always high because we always believed in ourselves. We always believed in the work we are doing. The energy is even higher. I think it inspires the new generation of Fighting Nerds that are coming. There are a lot of guys there. They are going to just make us better and better.”

The 31-year-old Borralho first arrived in the organization in April 2022 following two wins on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2021. “The Natural” has since racked up six wins, and his second-round finish of Craig put him in position to compete in his first main event bout, where he faces former title challenger Jared Cannonier.

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As the first Nerd to headline a UFC card, Borralho accepts the task with great enthusiasm and understanding.

“It means a lot to me,” he said. “I feel like I’m inspiring the guys. Carlos, after his fight, just called me and said, ‘Now, you’re next. I’m inspiring you, and the guys are inspiring me.’ It’s a lot of responsibility, but I’m definitely proud of doing it. It makes me a better human, a better version of myself, a better athlete, and I just need to keep doing my thing. Keep doing my thing inside the Octagon, outside the Octagon, keep inspiring them, and we’re only going to get bigger and bigger.”

READ: Fight By Fight Preview | UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs Borralho

A win on August 24 over Cannonier would position Borralho for another Top 5 matchup in the refreshed middleweight division. What is astonishing is, all things considered, that achievement would put Borralho in the argument for the most impressive accomplishment on his team this year.

Never sleep on the nerds, right?