Caio Borralho Praises Sean Strickland’s Character, Questions His Last Fight Performance
Caio Borralho likes Sean Strickland as a person, but he was left unimpressed by for ex-titleholder’s most recent performance inside the Octagon.
Headlining the promotion’s return to Sydney, Australia in February, Strickland was intent on reclaiming the middleweight strap he surrendered to Dricus Du Plessis a year earlier. Unfortunately, ‘Tarzan’ would fail to do so, delivering a lackluster performance in The Land Down Under and surrendering a decisive unanimous decision victory to the South African star.
Having previously worked with Strickland at Extreme Couture, Borralho had nothing but good things to say about Strickland’s conduct in the gym. As far as his performance at UFC 312… Well, that’s another issue altogether.
“I like Strickland, actually. He has always been a good guy to me, you know? He always treated me well,” Borralho said on the JAXXON Podcast with Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson. “When I was in Extreme Couture, he always provided everything—’Oh, you want to use the cage? You’re part of the family; you can use the cage.’ And he didn’t even know me that much yet, you know? So I like the guy.
As for his fighting style, it’s pressure, you know? He always applies pressure. But I think in his last fight, he underperformed. I think so. I think he underperformed for sure. Props to Dricus because he made the right adjustments in the fight and from the previous fight. But I think Strickland underperformed.”
Caio Borralho closing in on his first title opportunity
Borralho bagged the biggest win of his career in August, besting Jared Cannonier at a Fight Night event in Las Vegas. It was the Brazilian’s seventh straight win inside the Octagon and 17th overall.
More importantly, it moved ‘The Natural’ into the No. 6 spot in the middleweight rankings, putting him in prime position for a title opportunity. Of course, with Khamzat Chimaev practically guaranteed the next shot at Du Plessis, Borralho will likely have to go out and win one more against a top-five opponent before receiving his first shot at UFC gold.
