Caio Borralho

Caio Borralho, known as "The Natural," is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competes in the middleweight division of the UFC.

Raised in São Luís, in the northeastern Brazilian state of Maranhão, Borralho grew up training judo before branching into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. He pursued a degree in industrial chemistry and worked as a math, chemistry, and judo instructor before setting that path aside to train full-time, eventually relocating to São Paulo to build his fighting career.

Borralho holds black belts in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai along with a judo background dating to his childhood, and he built his early professional résumé on Brazil’s regional MMA circuit before earning a UFC contract with a win on Dana White’s Contender Series.

Inside the cage, Borralho is regarded as a well-rounded, technical competitor who pairs patient, measured striking with grappling and control rooted in his judo and jiu-jitsu foundation, allowing him to dictate range on the feet while also threatening takedowns and submissions when the fight goes to the mat.

His UFC tenure includes a Fight of the Night effort in a five-round decision over Jared Cannonier, a knockout finish of Paul Craig, and submission wins over opponents such as Michal Oleksiejczuk and Makhmud Muradov, performances that helped him collect multiple Performance of the Night bonuses.

Borralho is also known as a co-founder and figurehead of Fighting Nerds, the São Paulo gym-turned-movement he built alongside coach Pablo Sucupira, known for pairing rigorous, data-driven training methods with an open embrace of nerd culture, from video games and anime to chess. That identity, often shortened to "Rei dos Nerds" (King of Nerds), has made Borralho a symbol of a new generation of Brazilian fighters who blend intellect with athletic discipline, broadening perceptions of the sport’s talent pool.

Stats last updated: August 09, 2026