Longtime top contender Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza will meet a dangerous opponent when he faces Jack Hermansson in the main event of tonight’s (Sat., April 27, 2019) UFC on ESPN+ 8 from the BB&T Center in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
He may not be the most well-known middleweight. But ‘The Joker’ has quietly racked up three straight finishes in the UFC to become a dark horse contender. Filling in for Yoel Romero on short notice in Ft. Lauderdale, he now has a golden opportunity to rapidly shoot up the rankings.
And he’s not lacking for confidence in that opportunity. So much so he recently claimed he wasn’t scared to go to the ground with Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Jacare. Souza responded to that claim, but he didn’t say what you might expect. He told MMA Fighting that he actually believes Hermansson wants to do so.
Fearing ‘The Joker?’
Jacare also acknowledged that he actually feared Hermansson’s jiu-jitsu. He closed by noting how tough he was in that area as well:
”I believe him. I do believe him. There’s a lot of crazy people out there,” Souza said. “But I fear his jiu-jitsu. I respect his jiu-jitsu. He has great submissions, he’s long and can surprise anyone.
“However, brother, going to the ground with me is complicated. When I start squeezing … good luck. I’m there to finish the fight, and I don’t think he can handle it.”
The fight presents an interesting dynamic in that it’s a classic new vs. old guard type of fight. Hermansson doesn’t believe Souza will be in peak physical condition tonight, and that could hurt him. If he can top the legend, a title fight may not be far away.
Jacare admitting he fears Hermansson’s ground game may just be a showing of respect and caution at the top levels. Few have played on the ground and survived with the Brazilian. A finish by ‘The Joker’ would truly be a coming-out party.
As for Souza, he’s been promised a title shot with a win tonight. So while it may not be the most high-profile card ever, the stakes are high. Enjoy the fights.
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