A big opportunity presents itself in the UFC Vegas 72 Co-Main event. Caio Borralho takes on Michal Oleksiejczuk in a shot for both men to crack the UFC rankings. The Middleweight division is relatively shallow, and a solid win streak can lead to big things. The odds are heavily in favour of Borralho, but this fight is not easy. Here are some keys to victory for both sides of this enticing matchup.
UFC VEGAS 72: Keys for Caio Borralho
Borralho is 3-0 in the UFC, with all of his fights taking place recently. He has yet to get a finish in his run, but his victories have been decisive. Caio’s fight IQ is off the charts as he truly understands where his strengths are. His wrestling and ground control has fully neutralized his opponents’ attacks. Caio racks up a ton of control time on the ground and typically does not require a ton of takedowns. Emulating the strategy used in his fight against Armen Petrosyan will present a clear path to victory. Borralho should look to land at least one takedown per round and then work his grappling on the mat. Oleksiejczuk has shown a weakness in wrestling but has the chops to get back standing. The key for Borralho is his suffocating control and being able to secure rounds or find a finish on the ground.
Keys for Michal Oleksiejczuk
Bigger than takedown defence for Mikey O, his ability to get back to his feet will be crucial in this matchup. History tells us Oleksiejczuk will be taken down, meaning he will have to limit the control time and get back to striking range. The advantages on the feet all will favour Michal, as he needs the striking to win in this matchup. Keeping his back off the mat and constantly working to get up and land significant strikes will be key. Borralho has never been finished, but Michal’s style of fight-ending shots causes problems. A knockout might be the easiest path, as you just never know when someone’s first finish loss will happen. If the finish materializes great, and if not, Oleksiejczuk should simply look to score more with his striking than Caio can with grappling. Tune in to UFC Vegas 72 Saturday for a quality scrap.
