Outside Source
Paulo Costa is coming off a win over Roman Kopylov. | Getty/UFC
While the UFC hasn’t yet announced middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev’s next challenge, the battles to determine the top of the division’s rankings continue at full speed.
Four big names at 185 pounds have been added to the UFC 326 card in Las Vegas on March 7. Former title challenger Paulo Costa will face Brunno Ferreira, while Caio Borralho will lock horns with Reinier de Ridder. Sherdog,com confirmed the bookings with sources close to the fighters following an initial report from Leo Guimaraes.
Looking to Climb the Ladder
Out of action since his victory over Roman Kopylov in July of this year, “Borrachinha” is seeking another chance to fight for the division’s belt. After his loss to then-champion Israel Adesanya in a title fight, the Brazilian has suffered three defeats in his last four fights. Trained in Curitiba, Brazil at André Dida’s academy, “Hulk” is coming off three consecutive victories, including a big win over another former title challenger, Marvin Vettori.
Borralho and de Ridder are in similar places in the world’s premier MMA league. Both the Brazilian and the Dutchman lost their undefeated records in the UFC in their last appearances. In September, Borralho was defeated by Nassourdine Imavov via judges’ decision at UFC Paris and fell further behind in his quest for a title shot. Meanwhile, the following month, de Ridder lost to Brendan Allen via technical knockout, seeing his meteoric rise in the division halted by his American rival.
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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