Fight Coverage
Matchup Spotlight | Caio Borralho vs Reinier de Ridder
Middleweight Contenders In Need Of Marquee Wins Collide In Las Vegas
The middleweight division finally got moving in 2026 when Sean Strickland put on a statement-setting performance with his TKO win over Anthony “Fluffy” Hernandez in Houston. With the weightclass awaiting Khamzat Chimaev’s first title defense, the rest of the contenders have also sort of been in limbo, but two fighters who could make a major move are Caio Borralho and Reinier de Ridder, who face off in the co-main event at UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2.
Although both fighters are coming off main event losses, they remain in the thick of the title picture and are just a couple of wins from making their case for a shot at the 185-pound throne.
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Caio Borralho
The leader of Brazil’s “Fighting Nerds,” Borralho made a steady climb up the middleweight ladder after earning his contract via Dana White’s Contender Series. He churned his way to five consecutive wins before having a real breakout moment at UFC 310, where he starched Paul Craig. That bout earned him a main event slot opposite former title challenger Jared Cannonier, and Borralho showed the skill and poise of a future contender as he secured the decision win in a Fight of the Night bout.
Full Fight | Caio Borralho vs Paul Craig
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Full Fight | Caio Borralho vs Paul Craig
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He spent most of 2025 waiting for the right fight to formulate before signing on the dotted line to face Nassourdine Imavov in Paris. Before that September bout, though, Borralho rolled the dice and hit championship weight as the backup at UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev. The decision to cut weight twice in three weeks was questioned, but Borralho refused to make any excuses. However, he was outgunned in his fight with Imavov, who handed “The Natural” his first loss in the Octagon via unanimous decision. Despite the setback, the 33-year-old is keen to get back into the marquee opportunities he earned previously.
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Reinier de Ridder
“RDR” joined the UFC roster after a successful stint with ONE FC in which he won and defended the division’s middleweight and light heavyweight titles. He introduced himself to the UFC’s middleweight division in November 2024 with a submission win over Gerald Meerschaert in a grueling bout, a solid start but just the beginning. He returned a little more than two months later against Kevin Holland, submitting the popular American at UFC 311.
Keen to keep the momentum, he took on Bo Nickal in Des Moines, Iowa, halting the hype train and handing Nickal his first professional loss courtesy of a brutal knee to the body in the second round. While that fight got some people’s attention, his real breakout came when he faced former champion Robert Whittaker in a main event in Abu Dhabi. Despite Whittaker rocking de Ridder badly, the Dutchman recovered and took the fight over with his exhausting physicality and quirky knees to Whittaker’s body. Ultimately, the adjustments were enough to secure a split decision win over the Aussie and launch himself into the championship picture.
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Seemingly just a win away from a title shot, he accepted a bout against Hernandez in Vancouver, and when Hernandez pulled out due to injury, he accepted a short-notice replacement in Brendan Allen. However, his pedal-to-the-medal schedule caught up with him, and in his fifth trip to the Octagon in 11 months (and seventh in 19 months), de Ridder wore down to “All In.” After the fourth round, de Ridder was unable to answer the bell, suffering his first loss in the Octagon.
Meeting in the Middle
In the co-main event, Borralho and de Ridder should provide quite a few similar problems for one another. They are both capable on the feet, but they generally do their best work when they can implement their grappling. Borralho is a little more successful with his takedowns, landing his shots at a 48-percent clip, but de Ridder lands about 1.5 more takedowns per 15 minutes. De Ridder is more of a judo guy who finds success using his 6-foot-4 frame in the clinch along the fence while Borralho has shown an arsenal of takedowns both in the open and along the Octagonside.
On the feet, they have their quirks and their strengths. Borralho shows off a bit of a cleaner kickboxing game compared with his counterpart, but they both use their striking as a means to get close. That could lead toward some interesting scrambles, but it could also turn into one of those slugfests between two grapplers unwilling to test the others’ skills on the mat.
UFC 326: Holloway vs Oliveira 2 took place live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 7, 2026. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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