Top-10 middleweights collide Saturday night as No. 7-ranked Caio Borralho meets No. 8 Reinier de Ridder in the co-main event of UFC 326 in Las Vegas.
Borralho (17–2, 7–1 UFC) is coming off his first UFC loss — a one-sided unanimous decision to Nassourdine Imavov — which snapped a 17-fight unbeaten streak. De Ridder (21–3, 4–1 UFC) is also looking to rebound after having his five-fight winning streak halted by Brendan Allen via fourth-round TKO in October.
Borralho enters as a -290 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while de Ridder sits as a +235 underdog. The total is set at 2.5 rounds.
Borralho vs. de Ridder Preview
Caio Borralho
Caio Borralho is coming off a loss for the first time in over a decade.
After falling short in his second professional bout in July 2015, the leader of Brazil’s “Fighting Nerds” faction pieced together a 17-fight unbeaten streak — including a flawless 7–0 start inside the Octagon.
A well-rounded MMA technician, “The Natural” earned his shot on Dana White’s Contender Series before steadily climbing the middleweight rankings. And it didn’t take long for Borralho to enter the title conversation, either — bulldozing seasoned veteran Paul Craig in May 2024, then edging out a gritty unanimous decision over Jared Cannonier three months later in a Fight of the Night-winning main event.
Borralho, 33, largely stood pat in 2025 before jumping at a pair of high-stakes opportunities that ultimately proved costly. Three weeks prior to his September clash with Nassourdine Imavov, he made championship weight as the backup for UFC 319: Du Plessis vs. Chimaev. Two weight cuts in less than a month appeared to take their toll, as Borralho was neutralized by Imavov en route to a lopsided decision.
Still, Borralho remains one of the most dynamic contenders at 185 pounds. With a full training camp behind him, he’ll look to prove that his last outing was merely a bump in the road.
Reinier de Ridder
Reinier de Ridder is also looking to avenge his first UFC loss.
The Dutch jiu-jitsu specialist arrived in MMA’s flagship promotion with an illustrious resume — a dominant two-division champion in ONE Championship. He hit the ground running in the Octagon with a third-round submission of Gerald Meerschaert in July 2024.
The 35-year-old “RDR” then surged up the middleweight rankings with a torrid run in 2025, during which he tapped out Kevin Holland in the first round, fraud-checked Bo Nickal with a second-round TKO, and edged a split-decision over former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker.
But de Ridder seemingly pressed his luck by trying to squeeze in a fourth fight by year’s end. Compounding the issue, his originally scheduled opponent, Anthony Hernandez, withdrew with an undisclosed injury — leaving him to face Brendan Allen on short notice. Worked down to the bone, de Ridder’s corner stopped the contest after the fourth round due to exhaustion.
Following a much-needed break, the highly dangerous grappler — with 18 finishes in 21 career wins, including 13 submissions — will attempt to continue his meteoric rise, albeit at a more measured pace.
Borralho vs. de Ridder Pick, Best Bet
Saturday’s co-main event pits two strong grapplers in a matchup that could very well evolve into a stand-up war. The scale seemingly tips toward Borralho, the more complete fighter with a strong kickboxing background — and sound enough takedown defense to maintain the advantage.
While “The Natural” appears well-positioned to leave the Octagon with his hand raised, he’s unlikely to get off work early. Borralho owns a pedestrian 53% career finish rate, recording just two stoppages in the UFC.
Expect Borralho to get it done on the scorecards.
