Recently, footage of Khamzat Chimaev sparring with Caio Borralho from a 2022 training camp has resurfaced online. This coincides with speculation about a potential fight between the two later this year.
Reports suggest that Dricus Du Plessis is injured and may be unable to defend his middleweight title against Chimaev at UFC 317. Following this news, Borralho issued a challenge to Chimaev, proposing a bout that some believe could potentially be for an interim title.
Since the call-out, the two fighters have engaged in exchanges on social media. Chimaev recently shared a clip from their sparring session years ago. The complete video has now become widely available, appearing to show a round heavily controlled by Chimaev.
Archived Sparring Between Chimaev and Borralho From 2022 Circulates
During the lead-up to UFC 279, Khamzat Chimaev and Caio Borralho had a training session together at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas. At that time, Chimaev was preparing for a scheduled main event against Nate Diaz, while Borralho was set for a fight against Makhmud Muradov on the subsequent pay-per-view.
Ultimately, Chimaev significantly missed weight for the Diaz fight (by 7.5lb) and instead faced Kevin Holland on short notice, securing a quick victory. Earlier that week, he trained with Borralho, who was competing at middleweight at the time.
Footage of their session was included in the first episode of the UFC Embedded series for that week. It depicted the fighters participating in `shark tank` drills. The available clips suggest Chimaev was largely in command, although the footage is limited and overlaid with commentary from a coach.
At one point, while grappling with Borralho on the ground, Chimaev can be heard saying, “I’m not bully, brother. I make you champion. Everyone call me bully, I am the next champions.” Borralho reportedly only gained a dominant position when a coach intervened and joined the drill, making it two-on-one against Chimaev.
Borralho and Chimaev Exchange Words Via Social Media
It is widely recognized that Khamzat Chimaev is rarely the target of call-outs in either the welterweight or middleweight divisions. He is considered a formidable opponent, maintaining an undefeated professional record of 14-0.
Despite this, Borralho was assertive in pursuing a match-up upon hearing that Chimaev might be available for a June event. He posted on X, “I know a guy @ufc. You know who to call.”
He later followed up by tweeting, “Khamzat said yes! The only thing that makes sense is the Interim belt! This fight is gonna be bigger than him vs Dricus! Marks my words.”
Responding to Borralho`s online activity, Chimaev wrote, “If we will fight hundred times, you will never win. If somebody knows you know that bro.” Borralho, known as the ‘Fighting Nerds’ star, replied, “If you say so, sign the contract and we will see!”
Rupert Hartwell 
Benedict Kingsley