“What Caio…?” UFC Paris Star Nassourdine Imavov Pulls No Punches With Creative Dig at Caio Borralho

While Caio Borralho scrambles to fight for all-important top contender status, Nassourdine Imavov disses the UFC Paris star with creative video.

“What Caio…?” UFC Paris Star Nassourdine Imavov Pulls No Punches With Creative Dig at Caio Borralho

Nassourdine Imavov gets creative with a video, rips into 'forgettable' Caio Borralho (Source: X)

The French are the epitome and overtone of feeling the feels, and No.1-ranked UFC middleweight Nassourdine Imavov is not different. Imavov is all about the deed and doesn’t go the full stretch on trash talks, but it appears he has had a way out. “The Sniper” meets Caio Borralho in a headlining spot at UFC Paris. Ahead of it, he got creative.

Seemingly, Nassourdine Imavov has had enough of the Fighting Nerd product and #6 185-pounder on the official athletes’ rankings. He did not want to fight Caio Borralho when he had the clear shot at gold already. A serviceable Muay Thai striker who works well in pockets off the breaks, he blew the winds of ex-champ and bona fide middleweight legend Israel Adesanya at UFC Fight Night 250 in his 4th-ever headliner.

The No.1-ranked backup fighter was hard-pressed for a PPV title backup role between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev. However, he has had it to here with Caio Borralho calling out his work ethic and ‘dodging’ a supposed fight. On his X account, the fighter uploaded a video montage with a very clear message, and captioned it:

This is not an AI. See you soon Caillou ☠️ #bonnenuitcaillou
Nassourdine Imavov via X

What follows is Brazil’s Borralho in video montages where he made mentions of Nassourdine Imavov. It follows a trip to what looks like Brazil (Borralho, who is enjoying massive fame and fan following along with his team, hails from São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil). A boy asks people at Brazilian beaches and MMA clubs if they know the fighter, only to get a “What Caio…?“

Funnily enough, the video, which starts with disclaimers of not being AI, ends with a person claiming the only ‘Caio’ they know is on the subscription service-only Site ‘OnlyFans’; “The Natural” does have an OnlyFans account (@CaioBorralho) for paid inside-access to MMA training content.

The site is mostly infamous as an adult subscription platform. However, many others, including Justin Gaethje, Valentina Shevchenko, Diego Lopes, and more popularly Paige VanZant, Jasmine Jasudavicius, Ailin Perez, and even ex-UFC heavyweight Stipe Miocic, have had paid inside-access subscription accounts.

But in this case, the clear wordplay (caillou is French for ‘pebble’, AKA stepping stone) and snappy take on the matter is along the lines of ‘live in your mind rent free, while I don’t even know you‘. It’s a jab by the top contender that Caio Borralho will only be an OnlyFans athlete. Not a bad way to go for a pristine rivalry in the lead-up to UFC Paris.

Why the hate? Fighting is all that’s on Caio Borralho’s mind right now to be a proper top contender

The UFC 185-pound class is bountiful with potential challengers to take the fight to Dricus Du Plessis. However, Brazil’s Borralho had found himself in a stalemate after his biggest UFC fight ballot win over Jared Cannonier, last August. It extended Borralho’s unbeaten UFC streak to 7-0.

All Caio Borralho wanted before UFC Paris event was push to top contender
All Caio Borralho wanted before UFC Paris event was push to top contender (Source: X)

The FOTN award honors, and the preceding five-round headliner pushed the 2024 standout to a 7-nil record and closer to competing for gold. With that in mind, all Caio Borralho wanted was a push to be a top contender, sooner rather than later. He racked up talk of fighting former training partner and top dog Khamzat Chimaev, saying he studied him relentlessly and can overcome the “Borz” pressure.

Then, the now-UFC Paris star wished for Nassourdine Imavov, some twice or thrice in a row. He even ripped into Imavov, saying Dagestan and their combat culture of honor and rigor (he was originally born in Khasavyurt, Dagestan, Russia) should be ashamed of him, given how he avoided a title eliminator before International Fight Week.

I said yes right away — I didn't even give any time to talk with my team. No way...We were waiting for [Imavov] to respond — and then I heard that he said no, that he doesn't want to fight, that he wants to wait for the belt, that I need to fight a top-five guy first. But he's a top-five guy! Makes no sense; ...I'm just lost, bro, to be honest with you, ...everyone's ducking...Robert Whittaker ducked...everyone ducked.
Caio Borralho had previously said on “The Ariel Helwani Show” for ‘Uncrowned’ Combat

Borralho billed that it was a ‘two-round type’ of strike-first barnburner fight that would have been stylistically pleasing, but Nassourdine Imavov ducked him out. Now, he has got his wish for UFC Paris, and the duo have started bantering in full force.

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