Could Khamzat Chimaev’s dominance be challenged? Ex-training partner thinks he has the answer

Caio Borralho was the former partner of Khamzat Chimaev. He has helped Chimaev prepare for a fight which never happened and in the process, he found the weaknesses that no one was able to expose in the octagon.

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Khamzat Chimaev in the frame

Highlights:

Khamzat Chimaev has a made a name for himself in the UFC middleweight division with a undefeated record of 14-0.

Caio Borralho was the former partner of Khamzat Chimaev.

Borralho has found the weaknesses of Chimaev during their five weeks training sessions in Sweden and Las Vegas.

Khamzat Chimaev has a made a name for himself in the UFC middleweight division with a undefeated record of 14-0. He is a wrecking machine who broke the jaw of the former world champion in his last match with a neck crank. He latches onto his opponents and make them choke. What if I tell you if somebody found how to get past all of this and still manage to have an upper hand on Chimaev. 

Former training partner knows weaknesses of Khamzat Chimaev

The Brazilian middleweight Caio Borralho was the former partner of Khamzat Chimaev. He has helped Chimaev prepare for a fight which never happened and in the process, he found the weaknesses that no one was able to expose in the octagon. In a sport where former teammates have turned into rivals is not new but then it raises questions of Borralho's confidence that whether he knowns something that the previous 14 were not able to find out. 

Borralho was training Chimaev for his fight against Nate Diaz in 2023 but the latter eventually pulled out of the clash as Chimaev showed showed up to the weigh-ins 7.5 lbs overweight. By doing so, he has found a loop hole while watching him up close while training in Sweden and Las Vegas for five weeks. 

What was the answer given by Caio Borralho on facing Khamzat Chimaev?

During an interview with Rampage Jackson, Borralho was asked that how will he fare against Chimaev and the latter gave a response stating that he would be fine. 

Actually I have an advantage against all the guys that should face him… I kind of know a little bit about his system and what he wants to do next and what he wants the guy to do next so he can’t mess with his system., he said.

 

I am not saying he is an easy task because his wrestling is like another level, but I know I have an advantage on him, Borralho added.

Borralho on what makes Khamzat Chimaev so special?

People see it, but when you actually feel it, it’s a whole different level. I think he’s the best wrestler in the division, Borralho asserted.

Borralho then went onto point out Chimaev's best performances which came against Kamaru Usman at UFC 294 in 2023. The fight went the full distance and Usman proved to be the toughest opponent Chimaev had faced ever. Usman is a former welterweight champion and is considered as the greatest 170 lb champion after George St. Pierre. 

To handle somebody like Usman, Chimaev needed more than talent and God-given power. According to Borralho, it is his work ethics that make his different from the others.

I’ve never seen anyone train like him, Borralho revealed. One time, he did five rounds of sparring, then three or four rounds of pad work, and then a 30-minute round. I was like, what the f*ck is this guy doing?”, Borralho concluded.

We might get to see Khamzat Chimaev return to the octagon later this year as he goes up against Dricus du Plessis. 

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