As UFC 319 approaches, the middleweight title bout between Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis is facing unusual uncertainty. Caio Borralho, who has been named the official backup fighter for the event, suspects that one of the main competitors may be dealing with a serious injury that could force a late withdrawal. Borralho’s concerns come amidst Chimaev’s history of pulling out due to health issues and intense training schedules, prompting the UFC to secure a standby fighter as a precaution.
Borralho, although scheduled to fight Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Paris next month, accepted the role of backup for UFC 319 and shared his doubts during an interview with MMA Fighting. He expressed suspicion about the sudden announcement of having a backup, after the UFC initially claimed none would be needed.
“They didn’t say who could get hurt, if it’s Khamzat or Dricus, or what the issue was. I’m suspicious because they said earlier there would be no backup, and out of nowhere, got one. There’s something going on potentially, but I don’t know what that is.”
—Caio Borralho, UFC 319 Backup Fighter
Highlighting Chimaev’s tendencies, Borralho noted the fighter’s rigorous training habits often lead to injuries and suggested that Chimaev seemed the likelier candidate to withdraw.
“If we go by the logic, Chimaev has the better chance of pulling out because he’s done that a few times before. We know he trains like crazy, so he always gets hurt… I don’t know how Dricus is doing. He hasn’t posted much on social media… The thing that concerns me about Chimaev is regarding his weight. I saw a picture, and he looks freaking huge, man. We know he sometimes has a hard time making weight.”
—Caio Borralho, UFC 319 Backup Fighter
Dricus du Plessis Reflects on Why Opponents Have Struggled Against Chimaev
Dricus du Plessis has recently spoken about Khamzat Chimaev’s dominance in the octagon, attributing his opponents’ failures to their lack of proactive strategy. Du Plessis criticized fighters who become overly cautious about Chimaev’s wrestling ability, waiting defensively for takedowns instead of actively engaging.
“Yeah, I think at the end of the day, you can go out there and a lot of guys have made this mistake fighting him, going in and saying, ‘I need to watch out for that. He’s going to shoot. I need to be ready. I have to watch out.’ And then they don’t do anything until he does shoot and gets them down anyway. You have to go out there and fight, man. Didn’t you train?”
—Dricus du Plessis, UFC Middleweight Contender
Implications for UFC 319 and Monitoring Khamzat Chimaev’s Fitness
The suspicions raised by Borralho add a layer of tension ahead of what promises to be a pivotal UFC event. Khamzat Chimaev’s history of health-related withdrawals means observers will be closely watching his physical condition leading into UFC 319. The possible presence of a hidden injury in either Chimaev or du Plessis could impact the title fight’s outcome or prompt last-minute changes. Fans and analysts alike await official updates, knowing the stakes are high for both fighters and the UFC middleweight division.
As Caio Borralho remains prepared to step in as the replacement, the spotlight stays on Chimaev’s weight and fitness status, which may determine his ability to compete at the championship level this weekend.