Caio Borralho Says He Fought De Ridder With a Broken Rib – FightBook MMA
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Stake Ambassador Caio Borralho says he fought Reinier de Ridder with a broken rib, discusses his recovery and weighs in on the UFC’s entertainment demands.
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Stake Ambassador Caio Borralho says he fought Reinier de Ridder with a broken rib and did not tell the UFC how serious the injury was, describing the final two weeks before the bout as a “mental war.”
Speaking to Stake, Borralho detailed the setback, the surgery he says delayed his return, and the pressure he feels to balance winning with entertaining fans. He also offered his view on Sean Strickland’s future and his upcoming opponent, Yousri Belgaroui.
Borralho is scheduled to face Belgaroui in a middleweight bout at UFC 334 on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York, according to the UFC’s official event listing.
Borralho said the injury occurred two weeks before he faced De Ridder. He described the decision to compete as a personal struggle that continued through the final stages of preparation.
“I broke my rib two weeks before my fight with De Ridder. I fought with a totally broken rib. It was the craziest two weeks of my life – it was a mental war. It was down to myself whether I would make the fight, and thank God I managed to get past these two weeks and fight.”
According to Borralho, the problem continued long after the contest. He said persistent pain led to further imaging and an operation after an initial period of waiting for the rib to heal.
“The crazy thing about this injury, after the fight, I went to my doctor and he said we have to wait until it heals. I was waiting for 10 weeks and still had pain, so I went back to the doctor and we had an MRI. The results showed that it was separated even more after 10 weeks, and we had to have emergency surgery the next day. I had a titanium bracelet to keep the rib together so it would heal faster, and then it took a further 10/12 weeks. So that’s why I have had to wait.”
FightBook MMA previously covered Borralho’s preparations for De Ridder in his February 2026 Stake interview. His latest comments describe an injury he says he kept within a small circle before that fight.
Asked whether the UFC knew how serious the injury was before the bout, Borralho said it did not. He said his coaches, wider team and wife knew, but he had not told his parents because he did not want to add to their concerns.
“No! Even my family didn’t know. My four coaches and my wider team knew, and my wife. But I didn’t tell my mother or father. Fighting is already a lot of worry for them, so I didn’t want them to worry more than needed, and I fought, and won!”
The injury, treatment and disclosure details are Borralho’s account. No medical records or UFC response accompanied the supplied interview.
Borralho spoke positively about his current training camp while explaining that his recovery had prevented him from returning as quickly as he wanted.
“It’s been unbelievable, man. It’s good to be back in the cage. It hasn’t been as fast as I wanted – I wanted to be back in August, but I had to do this surgery on my rib.
“It’s been 13 months since my fight in Paris, so even with my injury, I’ve had two fights this year.”
His immediate focus is the Belgaroui matchup, but the interview also addressed what might happen elsewhere in the middleweight division.
Asked whether Strickland was approaching retirement, Borralho offered a conditional prediction involving Nassourdine Imavov.
“I think so, yeah. I think if he actually fights Imavov and he wins, then he will retire.”
The comment is Borralho’s opinion about what could follow a Strickland victory. It is not a retirement announcement from Strickland, nor does the quoted answer explicitly predict who would win the matchup.
Borralho believes Belgaroui’s striking style and association with former champions help explain the appeal of their fight. In his view, the UFC can build a compelling story around either man winning.
“I think there is a good narrative, training with these former champs. But I think it’s [Yousri Belgaroui]’s style too. The UFC is turning more to entertainment than sport, and he is a guy who is knocking everybody out. He is a striker and they value strikers a lot. They have two options – either the knockout artist wins and they push that, or I win and they can use that to build me towards the title.
“There is nothing to lose for the UFC in this fight.”
Those comments describe Borralho’s assessment of the promotion’s priorities and the matchup’s stakes. He did not announce a guaranteed title opportunity with a victory.
On the question of pressure to produce a knockout, Borralho acknowledged the demand for entertainment. He also argued that a fighter’s connection with the audience matters beyond the result itself.
“I think that’s the music that is playing right now. And we have to dance to the music that is playing. But for me, it’s about more than that. It’s about how you connect with the fans. It’s about how many people you attract to watch you fight. All these guys who have been cut, they are not too connected. They don’t bring a lot of attention. Even though they are very good, they aren’t well known.
“For sure, it is something that goes through my mind, but I am not concerned. I’ve been doing great fights, striking and knocking people out. I am dancing to the music. But don’t get me wrong, I want the win, and I will do what I need to win.
“I think I am more than just a fighter for the UFC. I connect well, treat everyone well, and have a great fan base.”
For Borralho, the balance remains clear: he wants to deliver a performance that draws attention, without placing entertainment ahead of winning.
UFC 334’s official lineup features Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit for the heavyweight championship and Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes for the women’s bantamweight championship, with Borralho vs. Belgaroui on the main card.
Interview credit: Stake Ambassador Caio Borralho was speaking to Stake. Quotations are reproduced from the interview excerpts supplied to FightBook MMA. Additional event context comes from the UFC’s official listing linked above; the earlier FightBook MMA interview is linked for background.
Fair Use Notice: This article may contain copyrighted material used for news reporting, commentary and informational purposes. Such material may be used in accordance with the fair-use principles of Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act. All third-party photographs and media remain the property of their respective copyright owners.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, and Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and is also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer. He’s also the main photographer for the 4CornersMafia Car Club.
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This article was autogenerated from a news feed from CDO TIMES selected high quality news and research sources. There was no editorial review conducted beyond that by CDO TIMES staff. Need help with any of the topics in our articles? Schedule your free CDO TIMES Tech Navigator call today to stay ahead of the curve and gain insider advantages to propel your business!
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Stake Ambassador Caio Borralho says he fought Reinier de Ridder with a broken rib, discusses his recovery and weighs in on the UFC’s entertainment demands.
Embed from Getty Images
Stake Ambassador Caio Borralho says he fought Reinier de Ridder with a broken rib and did not tell the UFC how serious the injury was, describing the final two weeks before the bout as a “mental war.”
Speaking to Stake, Borralho detailed the setback, the surgery he says delayed his return, and the pressure he feels to balance winning with entertaining fans. He also offered his view on Sean Strickland’s future and his upcoming opponent, Yousri Belgaroui.
Borralho is scheduled to face Belgaroui in a middleweight bout at UFC 334 on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at Madison Square Garden in New York, according to the UFC’s official event listing.
Borralho said the injury occurred two weeks before he faced De Ridder. He described the decision to compete as a personal struggle that continued through the final stages of preparation.
“I broke my rib two weeks before my fight with De Ridder. I fought with a totally broken rib. It was the craziest two weeks of my life – it was a mental war. It was down to myself whether I would make the fight, and thank God I managed to get past these two weeks and fight.”
According to Borralho, the problem continued long after the contest. He said persistent pain led to further imaging and an operation after an initial period of waiting for the rib to heal.
“The crazy thing about this injury, after the fight, I went to my doctor and he said we have to wait until it heals. I was waiting for 10 weeks and still had pain, so I went back to the doctor and we had an MRI. The results showed that it was separated even more after 10 weeks, and we had to have emergency surgery the next day. I had a titanium bracelet to keep the rib together so it would heal faster, and then it took a further 10/12 weeks. So that’s why I have had to wait.”
FightBook MMA previously covered Borralho’s preparations for De Ridder in his February 2026 Stake interview. His latest comments describe an injury he says he kept within a small circle before that fight.
Asked whether the UFC knew how serious the injury was before the bout, Borralho said it did not. He said his coaches, wider team and wife knew, but he had not told his parents because he did not want to add to their concerns.
“No! Even my family didn’t know. My four coaches and my wider team knew, and my wife. But I didn’t tell my mother or father. Fighting is already a lot of worry for them, so I didn’t want them to worry more than needed, and I fought, and won!”
The injury, treatment and disclosure details are Borralho’s account. No medical records or UFC response accompanied the supplied interview.
Borralho spoke positively about his current training camp while explaining that his recovery had prevented him from returning as quickly as he wanted.
“It’s been unbelievable, man. It’s good to be back in the cage. It hasn’t been as fast as I wanted – I wanted to be back in August, but I had to do this surgery on my rib.
“It’s been 13 months since my fight in Paris, so even with my injury, I’ve had two fights this year.”
His immediate focus is the Belgaroui matchup, but the interview also addressed what might happen elsewhere in the middleweight division.
Asked whether Strickland was approaching retirement, Borralho offered a conditional prediction involving Nassourdine Imavov.
“I think so, yeah. I think if he actually fights Imavov and he wins, then he will retire.”
The comment is Borralho’s opinion about what could follow a Strickland victory. It is not a retirement announcement from Strickland, nor does the quoted answer explicitly predict who would win the matchup.
Borralho believes Belgaroui’s striking style and association with former champions help explain the appeal of their fight. In his view, the UFC can build a compelling story around either man winning.
“I think there is a good narrative, training with these former champs. But I think it’s [Yousri Belgaroui]’s style too. The UFC is turning more to entertainment than sport, and he is a guy who is knocking everybody out. He is a striker and they value strikers a lot. They have two options – either the knockout artist wins and they push that, or I win and they can use that to build me towards the title.
“There is nothing to lose for the UFC in this fight.”
Those comments describe Borralho’s assessment of the promotion’s priorities and the matchup’s stakes. He did not announce a guaranteed title opportunity with a victory.
On the question of pressure to produce a knockout, Borralho acknowledged the demand for entertainment. He also argued that a fighter’s connection with the audience matters beyond the result itself.
“I think that’s the music that is playing right now. And we have to dance to the music that is playing. But for me, it’s about more than that. It’s about how you connect with the fans. It’s about how many people you attract to watch you fight. All these guys who have been cut, they are not too connected. They don’t bring a lot of attention. Even though they are very good, they aren’t well known.
“For sure, it is something that goes through my mind, but I am not concerned. I’ve been doing great fights, striking and knocking people out. I am dancing to the music. But don’t get me wrong, I want the win, and I will do what I need to win.
“I think I am more than just a fighter for the UFC. I connect well, treat everyone well, and have a great fan base.”
For Borralho, the balance remains clear: he wants to deliver a performance that draws attention, without placing entertainment ahead of winning.
UFC 334’s official lineup features Ciryl Gane vs. Josh Hokit for the heavyweight championship and Kayla Harrison vs. Amanda Nunes for the women’s bantamweight championship, with Borralho vs. Belgaroui on the main card.
Interview credit: Stake Ambassador Caio Borralho was speaking to Stake. Quotations are reproduced from the interview excerpts supplied to FightBook MMA. Additional event context comes from the UFC’s official listing linked above; the earlier FightBook MMA interview is linked for background.
Fair Use Notice: This article may contain copyrighted material used for news reporting, commentary and informational purposes. Such material may be used in accordance with the fair-use principles of Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Act. All third-party photographs and media remain the property of their respective copyright owners.
Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Executive Writer, and Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a passion for Combat Sports and is also a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s also a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer. He’s also the main photographer for the 4CornersMafia Car Club.
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This article was autogenerated from a news feed from CDO TIMES selected high quality news and research sources. There was no editorial review conducted beyond that by CDO TIMES staff. Need help with any of the topics in our articles? Schedule your free CDO TIMES Tech Navigator call today to stay ahead of the curve and gain insider advantages to propel your business!
