The ‘Fighting Nerds’ gym out of Brazil is quickly turning into one of the powerhouses for elite UFC talent as star-studded fighters have arrived on the UFC scene. Middleweight title contender Caio Borralho (17-1-0, 1NC) has become the face of the ‘Fighting Nerds’ as the 31-year-old has quickly racked up an impressive record of 7-0 inside the UFC cage.
Click here to watch Caio Borralho sit down with Nina Marie Daniele to discuss the meaning behind ‘Fighting Nerds’. Footage via ‘NinaDrama’ on YouTube.
The Face of ‘Fighting Nerds’: Caio Borralho
This southpaw mixed martial artist has proven to be a legitimate problem for opponents, having worked his way to the top five of the middleweight division.
Borralho’s UFC debut against Gadzhi Omargadzhiev in April 2022 on UFC on ESPN 34 was a significant moment. He emerged victorious in this fight, winning via unanimous decision, and this win set the stage for his promising future in the sport.
Fast-forward two years. Borralho is only one win away from a title shot, and former champion Israel Adesanya could be a potential opponent in a five-round middleweight title eliminator bout.
The Brazilian has notched impressive names like Jared Cannonier, Paul Craig, Abus Magomedov, and Makhmud Muradov to his win list. Adding a feather in his cap, such as defeating the former middleweight champion, would ascend Borralho into serious company.
Carlos Prates
It is hard to say that any of these fighters are more exciting than the other ‘Fighting Nerds’; however, it may be fitting with 31-year-old welterweight striker Carlos Prates (20-6-0).
The hard-hitting Prates seems to have cement in his fists, as he has delivered three straight devastating knockouts entering his UFC career.
Battering Li Jingliang, Charles Radtke, and Trevin Giles, Prates has proven to be one of the most must-see TV fighters in the entire sport.
Prates made his UFC debut in early February of this year and has yet to make himself at home with the promotion.
Given that his activity is mixed with highlight-reel performances, he will likely be allowed to fight for a top-15 ranking.
The prospect of potential matchups against ranked fighters like Neil Magny or Vicente Luque is a thrilling one, and it seems to be very close to coming to fruition, sparking excitement among UFC fans.
Jean Silva
This power-punching lightweight is just as impressive as his ‘Fighting Nerds’ gym-mates as Jean Silva boasts an astounding record of 14-2-0 inside the octagon.
Silva is currently 3-0 inside the UFC and has already bludgeoned moderately big names in his short time with the company.
By defeating talented fighters like Drew Dober, Charles Jourdain, and Westin Wilson, Silva has unmistakably announced his arrival in the UFC.
Silva started his UFC career as a featherweight in early January of this year; however, in his most recent bout, he stepped in at lightweight on short notice against the gritty veteran Drew Dober.
Before that, Silva put up a dominant performance over the scrappy Charles Jourdain and proceeded to cap the performance off with a devastating uppercut knockout.
This ‘Fighting Nerds’ lightweight should look to fight a fringe-ranked opponent.
Mauricio Ruffy
The last of these four highly talented fighters out of the ‘Fighting Nerds’ gym in Brazil is the unorthodox striker Mauricio Ruffy (10-1-0).
Ruffy only has one UFC appearance on his resume. However, the 28-year-old delivered one of the most thrilling debuts ever in his first-round knockout victory over Jamie Mullarkey at UFC 301 in May of this year.
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