The spotlight was on the middleweight main event of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 96 fight card, and the rising Caio Borralho stepped into the klieg lights with a big win over Jared Cannonier.
Caio Borralho, of the Fighting Nerds team, entered the UFC Fight Night card with a question mark penciled next to his name. He left the UFC Apex with an exclamation point in indelible ink alongside his name.
Borralho put on a performance that should launch him into elite status among the current crop of UFC 185-pounders, showing that his offense and defense are among the best in the division.
In the co-main event of UFC Vegas 96, Tabatha Ricci upstaged the veteran Angela Hill, picking up a big decision win that should move her up the women’s strawweight division rankings.
Also on the card, Ryan Loder and Mairon Santos claimed UFC contracts by winning their final fights of the current season of “The Ultimate Fighter.
It would be an error not to mention the performance of Cong Wang in the evening’s fight card opener. The debuting flyweight looked outstanding in picking up a knockout win.
UFC Vegas 96 took place at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. ESPN carried the entire fight card.
Caio Borralho: A Stellar Performance
Caio Borralho had his coming out party at UFC Vegas 96. If there were doubts about his ability to hang with the best fighters in the UFC's middleweight division, the 31-year-old put them to rest with his win over former middleweight title challenger Jared Cannonier.
There were moments when Borralho struggled with his opponent's power on Saturday night, but those instances never prevented him from advancing and pressuring Cannonier for too long. He set a fast pace throughout the five-round battle and threw 255 significant strikes, connecting on 153 of those for a landing rate of 60 percent.
As far as his defense was concerned, Borralho, who had a nasty gash under his right eye, held Cannonier to a landing rate of 32 percent, a far cry from the 58 percent success rate Cannonier had in his 2023 victory over Marvin Vettori.
UFC Vegas 96 marked the first time Borralho went five rounds in the UFC, and he handled himself well, showing he had enough left in the tank to nearly finish the fight in the waning seconds of the fifth and final round.
Saturday's fight card was a next-level performance for a man who was waiting for his moment in the spotlight.
Tabatha Ricci: A Dominant Display
Tabatha Ricci did an excellent job of setting a fast pace and mostly maintained that tempo against Angela Hill on Saturday night. The only timed she slowed was the second half of the round two.
Ricci’s pace, pressure, and output kept Hill on her heels for most of the fight, forcing the UFC veteran to react instead of lead. The plan worked well, giving Ricci her second victory in 2024.
Other Notable Performances
Ryan Loder
Ryan Loder's wrestling and ability to control things on the ground shut down Robert Valentin's offense and earned him a surprising finish and the middleweight contract from the latest season of TUF. An impressive win from the 33-year-old, who started his pro MMA career in 2021.
Mairon Santos
Marion Santos became the featherweight TUF winner on Saturday night with an impressive knockout win over Kaan Ofli. Santos was the much better striker at distance in his contest. His ability to keep the fight where he wanted it allowed him to find the mark with a vicious left hook that put Ofli down and out and earned him a UFC contract.
Santos turned 24 in June. His smooth striking, confidence, and style make him someone to watch.
Michael Morales
Michael Morales didn’t need much time or space to turn the tables on Neil Magny on Saturday. Magny had Morales against the cage, but he backed off a little. That allowed Morales to land a spinning elbow that dropped Magny. From there, Morales’ ground striking and his ability to control Magny allowed the 25-year-old to finish the fight.
With the win, Morales moves to 17-0 as a pro and 5-0 in the UFC. Magny was ranked No. 12 in the UFC’s welterweight division, while Morales was not ranked. Both rankings will change next week.
Gerald Meerschaert
Gerald Meerschaert set a UFC middleweight record for most finishes on Saturday with his second-round stoppage of Edmen Shahbazyan. Meerschaert broke a tie with UFC legend Anderson Silva. His submission win was his 12th stoppage and 11th submission win in the division.
Meerschaert was hurt in the second round, but did enough defensively to avoid the ground strikes of Shahbazyan that the ref allowed the fight to continue. The attempt to get the finish sapped Shahbazyan’s energy and allowed Meerschaert to take advantage of the fight and get the finish.
A Night of Surprises and Statements
The UFC Vegas 96 card delivered a night of action-packed fights that saw some unexpected results and solidified the status of several fighters. Borralho's dominant performance over Cannonier sent shockwaves through the middleweight division and positioned him as a serious contender for the title. Ricci's victory over Hill showed her potential as a top-ranked strawweight, while the TUF finalists Loder and Santos impressed with their impressive finishes. The event also saw several other fighters make their mark, showcasing their talent and solidifying their place in the UFC landscape.
UFC Fight Night: Cannonier vs. Borralho was a night filled with exciting action and thrilling performances. It's safe to say that the future of the UFC is in good hands with a new generation of fighters emerging and making their presence felt in the Octagon.
