Caio Borralho Aiming for UFC 334 Comeback in New York

Caio Borralho has circled a date and a city. Now he just needs a name.

The No. 6-ranked middleweight in the Meta UFC Rankings is back in full training and pushing hard for a spot on UFC 334, set for November 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York. After a frustrating injury withdrawal from a key clash with Joe Pyfer at UFC 330, the Brazilian contender wants straight back into the fire.

“I think I’m around 90 to 95 percent, but I’m full training right now,” Borralho told MMAFighting.com’s Guilherme Cruz. “I’m doing everything, doing grappling, wrestling, striking and everything. I think a day for me to start a camp will be like in three, four weeks, and I want to fight in MSG, so this is the perfect date for me.”

For Borralho, that night in New York represents more than just a comeback. It’s a chance to jump right back into the title picture he believes is now within touching distance.

Pyfer Rematch on His Mind

The cancelled Pyfer bout still nags at him. It was booked as a pivotal meeting between rising threats at 185 pounds, and Borralho knows what that opportunity meant.

“I think it was a great match-up against Joe Pyfer, he was one of the top guys in the world,” he said. “I think it will be a great fight with him. I think we’re going to do this fight sooner or later, but I needed to pull out and do surgery and all this stuff. But I feel ready already. I feel that I’m getting the best shape of my life right now.”

If the UFC wants to simply hit reset and rebook Pyfer, Borralho is clearly on board. If not, the path is still obvious: someone ranked above him, someone who moves him closer to gold.

One or Two Wins From the Belt

Borralho’s confidence is not built on bluster. Since arriving in the UFC in 2022, he has gone 8-1, stacking wins over names like Jared Cannonier, Reinier de Ridder, and Abus Magomdov. The only blemish on his record came against top contender Nassourdine Imavov, a man who may be next in line for Sean Strickland’s middleweight crown.

That context shapes how Borralho views his next move.

“I’m just waiting for the UFC to give him a name and then we’re going to accept right away, doesn’t matter who,” he said. “I just need to make sense for me, for the company, and for the division. I had like seven straight wins and then I lost. Now I have a good win against de Ridder, that did very good last weekend (against Roman Dolidze). I think one or two more on the way to the belt. I’m just waiting for the name.”

The rankings back up his logic. Sitting at No. 6, the natural options are the men directly ahead of him: Joe Pyfer and Brendan Allen. Both represent the kind of matchup that could turn a main-card slot at Madison Square Garden into an unofficial title eliminator.

Borralho has his timeline, his venue, and his momentum. All that remains is for the matchmakers to decide which contender will stand across from him under the lights in New York, with the division watching and the title picture tightening around them.