Reinier de Ridder faces Caio Borralho within the co-main, a middleweight bout the place each look to rebound from latest losses. De Ridder, the Dutch fighter with a grappling background from ONE Championship, calls out Borralho’s balanced fashion in a latest interview. UFC 326 heats up with Max Holloway defending the BMF title in opposition to Charles Oliveira in the primary occasion at T-Cellular Enviornment in Las Vegas on March 7.
Reinier de Ridder Breaks Down Caio Borralho
De Ridder broke down his opponent with Emiel Sardarean forward of the combat. He respects Borralho’s danger administration however plans to disrupt it.
“Yeah. I feel what makes him particular is that he’s very effectively balanced and he manages danger very effectively. That’s what makes him particular. He’s not the best grappler, he’s not the best striker, however he is aware of when to press and when to step again, and he is aware of when to blow up. He does that very effectively.”
“I feel that’s crucial factor in my thoughts going into this combat. He’s going to wish to make it fairly. He likes to bounce out and in, throw a few photographs, take a step again, look, see. He’s going to attempt to steal the rounds, management the combat, gradual it down. That’s the best way he wins. He’s very balanced, very effectively measured. I do my finest work once I put strain on, get in your face, hit you with great things, take you down, and choke you out. I wish to impose my will, push him again, get him in opposition to the cage. That’s what I do finest.”
De Ridder enters off a tricky loss to Brendan Allen final October at UFC Combat Night time 262, the place his nook stopped the combat after spherical 4 as a consequence of exhaustion. Earlier than that setback, he gained 4 straight UFC fights in 9 months, beating Robert Whittaker, Bo Nickal, Kevin Holland, and Gerald Meerschaert. The 35-year-old former two-division ONE champ moved to middleweight after success there and eyes a return to title competition.
Borralho, 33 from Brazil, additionally seeks a reset after a choice loss to Nassourdine Imavov in September, his first UFC defeat following an 8-0 run that included wins over Jared Cannonier and Paul Craig. He expects de Ridder at his peak, calling it an opportunity to beat high competition. Betting odds favor Borralho at 2-to-1, given his putting edge, however de Ridder’s strain may flip the script.
This co-main carries weight within the middleweight division, with new champ Khamzat Chimaev forward. Michael Bisping highlighted the stakes, noting a win positions both for top-10 standing. De Ridder’s ahead fashion clashes completely with Borralho’s measured strategy, establishing fireworks below the Holloway-Oliveira highlight. Holloway gained the BMF belt with a last-second KO of Justin Gaethje at UFC 300 and defended it in opposition to Dustin Poirier; Oliveira brings 21 UFC finishes. Anticipate de Ridder to check his fuel tank early by pinning Borralho to the fence.
