KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – APRIL 26: (L-R) Ian Machado Garry of Ireland and Carlos Prates of Brazil exchange punches in a welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at T-Mobile Center on April 26, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
“Fraud checked”. It is my least favorite term in the MMA community. It is a term used to describe a highly touted young fighter who does not live up to expectations. I find fraud to be too harsh. Fraud is a ridiculous and insulting term to describe any individual who steps foot inside of an octagon, especially in a professional capacity. The latest fighters dealing with the fraud checked narrative are the Fighting Nerds. Last year, the Fighting Nerds were awarded MMA Gym of the Year at the World MMA Awards. However, less than a year later, all four Fighting Nerds have lost their undefeated UFC records. The Fighting Nerds have some adjustments to make but to entertain the idea they are frauds is ill-considered. Here is why:
Diego Lopes def. Jean Silva: KO/TKO R2 4:48
Jean Silva is perhaps the most popular member of the Fighting Nerds team and the most promising talent. His loss at UFC Noche was the most high-profile loss as it was a main event fight with one of the UFC’s most popular stars in Diego Lopes. The fight also had title implications, as if Silva won, he would have been next in line for a title shot. Unfortunately for Silva, he got beaten up by Diego Lopes over the course of two rounds and suffered a KO/TKO loss. Nonetheless, Silva’s stock did not necessarily go down. He displayed a lot of heart surviving Lopes’s vicious ground and pound in round one. Silva also had a lot of success in round two, which was without a doubt one of the best rounds of MMA we have seen in a long time. Yes, it is a loss on the record, but Silva’s career is still in a great position.
“Jean Silva, who’s very down right now. If he could stand back, if he was in my spot, it’s so clear. It’s so clear and obvious what he potentially has and what a star he is. His star, his star power, his recognizability. His demanding command by you, the audience, is higher today than it was when he walked out. He’s in a better spot now. From a business perspective, then he was before the fight, that’s a win.” UFC Hall of Famer Chael Sonnen stated on his YouTube channel.
At 28 years old, Jean Silva is one of the biggest names in his division and still has championship-caliber potential. Unfortunately for Silva, he ran into a bigger, stronger opponent who has fifteen more professional fights under his belt. Lopes is one of the toughest, baddest men on the planet, and Silva competed with him, but he does not possess the experience to beat a guy like Lopes right now. Even in defeat, Silva earned his third bonus of the year, as Silva vs Lopes won fight of the night. Regardless of the outcome, Jean Silva must watch TV for MMA fans, and that is a great spot to be in.
Nassourdine Imavov def. Caio Borralhoy: Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46)
Twenty-one days prior to Borralho’s loss to Imavov, the middleweight division title fight occurred at UFC 319 in Chicago between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev. The replacement fighter for the event was Caio Borralho. He weighed in for the event, in case any fighter was unable to compete for the belt. Three weeks later, he cut weight again for his own fight at UFC Paris. Two weight cuts in three weeks are not ideal.
Given the circumstances and that he was fighting Imavov’s style, not his own, and largely fought with plan B, Borralho fought well. Upon several rewatches, I can confidently say it was a more competitive fight than the broadcast lead on. Borrlaho landed more significant strikes in rounds 3 & 5 while also being more efficient with a higher connect percentage in those rounds as well.
Caio Borrlaho, who did not give his best performance at UFC Paris deserves credit for delivering an incredibly gutsy performance. He was not in control, he was fighting to his opponent’s strengths, he was not adequately prepared due to two weight cuts, and he was not physically right in the octagon as well. However, he still competed, and he competed well. A Caio Borrlaho, who was a longer, healthier camp, is a dangerous fighter in the middleweight division and a legitimate middleweight contender. Despite the loss, Borrlaho showed he can compete with the division’s best when he isn’t at his best. If there is one member of the Fighting Nerds, I am most confident in to bounce back, it is Caio Borralho.
Benoit Saint Denis Def. Mauricio Ruffy: Submission R2 2:56
Mauricio Ruffy suffered the toughest loss among all the Fighting Nerds. Silva, Prates, and Borralho all competed and had silver linings in their performances, but Benoit Saint Denis flat-out dominated Ruffy at UFC Paris.
“Mauricio Ruffy also made me eat my words. Maybe he’s not as good as we thought he was. Yet. He’s still got some work to do. But tonight, he did not show up, and he did not look like he wanted to be out there.” MMA Coach and analyst Din Thomas said on the UFC Paris post-fight show.
It was an ugly performance from Ruffy, who was heavily favored to beat Benoit Saint Denis. Strangely enough, Benoit Saint Denis was in a similar position before this fight. However, Ruffy appearing to give up and only having three strikes in a round and a half is a bad sign. Is there more to the story? Was he hurt? Regardless, Ruffy’s performance is the most concerning. He appeared to have no grappling skills in that match. This is a fighter who appears to have so much talent, but for whatever reason did not deliver. Ruffy has his work cut out for him. We will see if he can adjust and get back on track.
Ian Machado Garry def. Carlos Prates: Unanimous Decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
Carlos Prates fought Ian Machado Garry on April 26th in a five-round main event at UFC Kansas City. Prates’s original opponent, Geoff Neal, withdrew from the fight shortly before their scheduled fight for UFC 314. In the meeting between Machado Garry and Prates, “The Nightmare” started slowly, decisively losing all three rounds, with Machado Garry having a 75-29 significant strike advantage. Prates caught Ian Machado Garry faking with a left hook with 1:22 remaining in round four that turned the tide of the fight. In the closing moments of round five, Prates nearly got the finish, but it was too late. Machado Garry was able to survive, and his work in the first three rounds got the job done. Prates was outclassed by a fighter with superior speed and footwork, but Prates competed extremely well with one of the top fighters in the UFC’s best division.
“It was a really big mistake I made in the fight. You know, we come to the fight with a game plan and didn’t try to make my game plan. And I was like, really confident, like I’m gonna knock him out anytime I have five rounds. And also, he’s really smart, a really good fighter. No excuse, but I feel like I did something wrong.” Carlos Prates told Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo on the Pound for Pound Podcast
At UFC 319, he got back in the win column with a first-round knockout of Geoff Neal. Currently ranked the #9 welterweight in just his second year in the UFC, Prates has a golden opportunity at UFC 322 in November, where he is slated to face the #4-ranked contender and former welterweight champion Leon Edwards. Prates is the perfect example of how MMA fans perceive fighters. It is all about what you’ve done for me lately. If Prates gets the win at UFC 322, his loss will be an afterthought, and he will be ranked as a top five welterweight and in arm’s reach of a title shot. Several of his teammates can look to him as they try to bounce back.
“Adversity is a Privilege” – Alexander Volkanovski
The Fighting Nerds have not had the same success in 2025 as they did in 2024. The step up in competition has been a bump in the road for all four of the Fighting Nerds. In three of the team’s four losses, they were outwrestled. Carlos Prates, Mauricio Ruffy and Jean Silva are all exciting fighters because of their heavy striking style but all three leave something to be desired in the grappling department.
“They have an incredible team, I think they could add to that team, and that’s probably someone to work on the wrestling” the great Kamaru Usman analyzed on the Pound for Pound Podcast.
Three of the four Fighting Nerds have wins this year; in all four of their combined wins, they have performance of the night bonuses. The reality is the Fighting Nerds are four of the most entertaining fighters in the sport of MMA right now. In combat sports, the perception around fighters by fans and media alike is what have you done for me lately. Once the Fighting Nerds get back to the win column like Prates already has; the losses will become an afterthought.
Interim Title Show 
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