5 championship caliber Brazilian UFC prospects to watch out for

Brazil has always been well-represented in the UFC. The South American nation has produced over 20 world champions in the promotion so far and will likely deliver many more down the line.

At UFC 283 this weekend, two Brazilians will feature in championship bouts with Glover Teixeira contesting the vacant light heavyweight title and Deiveson Figueiredo defending his flyweight strap. Gilbert Burns will also look to re-enter the welterweight title picture at the upcoming pay-per-view.

If Glover Teixeira and Deiveson Figueiredo emerge victorious, there will be four Brazilian champions in the UFC, with Amanda Nunes and Alex Pereira also holding titles. While the likes of Gilbert Burns, Alexandre Pantoja, and Ketlen Vieira all close to a championship opportunity, we thought we'd check out some lesser-known up-and-comers from Brazil.

On that note, here are five championship-caliber Brazilian prospects to watch out for in the UFC.

---

#5. Caio Borralho (13-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC)

After suffering the lone loss of his career in just his second professional MMA bout, Caio Borralho has been nothing short of unstoppable. Having compiled a solid record on the Brazilian regional circuit, Barralho received an opportunity to compete in Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS).

Despite dominating his opponent on DWCS, Borralho seemingly didn't impress the UFC brass and wasn't offered a contract. He returned to the show just a few weeks later and came away with a statement-making TKO win to earn a contract.

Caio Borralho is a unique talent. His stand-up game is solid, but his strengths lie on the mat. Unlike most Brazilians, Barralho possesses high-level wrestling to complement his jiu-jitsu. His top pressure and control is phenomenal, and in a division brimming with strikers, he is a force to be reckoned with.

Borralho was quite active in 2022, overcoming a murderous line-up of unranked and relatively unknown middleweights. He defeated Russian ace Gadzhi Omargadzhiev, Armenian kickboxer Armen Petrosyan and surging Tajikistani phenom Makhmud Muradov, all via unanimous decision, last year.

At 30, he is entering his athletic prime and looks set for a big year in 2023.

---

#4. Natalia Silva (14-5-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC)

The UFC women's flyweight division doesn't quite get the love it deserves, largely thanks to the dominant reign of the champion, Valentina Shevchenko. The reigning queen looks set to to rule over the division for a long time to come.

As such, the next generation of flyweights will be looking to Shevchenko for inspiration as they attempt to emulate her success. Among the most highly-touted prospects on the rise is Natalia Silva, who at 25 is already supremely well-rounded, like the champion.

Silva is 11-1 in her last 12 professional fights, with the solitary loss of her recent run coming against top-ranked strawweight Marina Rodriguez on the regional scene. She notably signed with the UFC in 2021 and opted to take a whole year out to improve her skills.

A representative of Team Borracha, home to former middleweight title challenger Paulo Costa, Silva is a devastating striker with slick submission skills. Out of 14 professional wins, seven came via submission and four via knockout.

Silva made her octagon debut against Jasmine Jasudavicius last year, cruising to a unanimous decision win. In her sophomore appearance, she made light work of Tereza Bleda to register her first finish in the promotion.

---

#3. Matheus Nicolau (19-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC)

After the departure of Demetrious Johnson and the brief reign of Henry Cejudo, the men's flyweight division was seemingly headed for the chopping block. Thankfully, the incredible rivalry between Deiveson Figueiredo and Brandon Moreno has revived the 125-pound division, which is now among the most exciting in the promotion.

Figueiredo and Moreno look set to close out their rivalry this weekend, which should allow up-and-coming contenders to stake their claim to a title shot over the next few months. In a division brimming with talent, Brazil's Matheus Nicolau is among those who genuinely boast championship potential.

Nicolau has been associated with the UFC for quite some time now. He joined the promotion at the age of 22, back in 2015, winning his first three fights before losing to Dustin Ortiz in 2018. He was subsequently cut from the roster.

After picking up two more wins in Brazil, Nicolau re-signed with the world's premier MMA organization and has looked sensational ever since. Back-to-back decision wins over Manel Kape, Tim Elliot and David Dvorak saw him break into the rankings.

At UFC Orlando in December last year, Nicolau delivered a real statement of intent, knocking out Matt Schnell to break into the flyweight top 5.

---

#2. Andre Muniz (23-4 MMA, 5-0 UFC)

Andre Muniz is one of the most intriguing contenders in the middleweight division. While the Brazilian is quite far off a shot at the middleweight throne at the moment, he remains an ominous presence in the division.

Muniz secured a UFC contract following a submission victory on DWCS in 2019. He put together a five-fight win streak upon joining the promotion's 185-pound division, of which three came by way of submission. Wins over Ronaldo Souza, Erik Anders and Uriah Hall saw him break into the top 15.

The Brazilian grappling phenom's fight against MMA veteran Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza was a real eye-opener. 'Jacare' was the resident submission specialist in the 185-pound division at the time. Muniz not only secured an armbar finish against the multitime Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion, he managed to break Souza's arm as well.

The 185-pound bracket has more strikers than grapplers, making Muniz a nightmare matchup for most contenders. 'Sergipano' currently occupies the No.11 spot in the rankings and will be looking to break into the top tier of the division in 2023.

Muniz will look to further extend his win streak when he takes on Brendan Allen next month.

---

#1. Jailton Almeida (17-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC)

Jailton Almeida first broke onto the scene with a stellar performance in DWCS in 2021, when he made quick work of Nasrudin Nasrudinov to earn a UFC contract. The towering Brazilian has bounced back-and-forth between light heavyweight and heavyweight ever since, and is now seemingly committed to the heavier division.

Almeida is a grappling savant and regularly competes in submission grappling events, where he often finishes his counterparts. Testament to his abilities on the mat, 'Malhadinho' has 11 submission wins on his professional record. Moreoever, he boasts a 100% finish rate, with the rest of his victories coming via knockout.

At 31, Almeida is now primed for a title run in the heavyweight division. He is now 3-0 in the promotion and is on the brink of breaking into the rankings. He will have the opportunity to make his way into the top 15 when he takes on ranked contender Shamil Abdurakhimov this weekend.

The promotion's heavyweight division is quite top-heavy as things stand. A budding contender like Almeida can certainly make things interesting in the coming years.