Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza – photo by Esther Lin for Strikeforce
A middleweight bout between former Strikeforce champ Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza (15-3, 1NC) and Derek ‘The Human Blanket’ Brunson has been reported for the promotions upcoming August 18, 2012 event in California.
News of the bout was confirmed by MMAWeekly.com noting that both sides have verbally agreed to the bout.
The bout will take place on the Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman card, which is scheduled for August 18, 2012 at Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California. The event is headlined by a women’s bantamweight title bout between champion Ronda Rousey and former champ, Sarah Kaufman. Tickets for the event go on sale this week.
Both Souza and Brunson had been scheduled to fight earlier this year in March on another Strikeforce card, but Brunson was denied a license by the Ohio State Athletic Commission over his intended use of contact lenses. Brunson had immediate Lasik surgery to fix his eyesight.
Souza faced late replacement Bristol Marunde instead of Brunson in Ohio, winning the match by first round arm-triangle choke. It was ‘Jacare’s’ first bout since losing the middleweight title to current champ Luke Rockhold back in September of last year. The Brazilian is 5-1 (1NC) over his last seven matches.
Brunson took an undefeated streak into a ShoFight20 bout with Kendall Grove this month for that promotions vacant title. ‘The Human Blanket’ would lose a close split decision, suffering the first loss of his career. With his eyesight better, Brunson looks to return to Strikeforce after a one-bout absence and will look to pick up where he left off with three wins under that promotions banner.