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Ronaldo Souza feels ready to take on heavier competition after spending all his career at middleweight.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Ronaldo Souza is ready to move on to a heavier weight class after a 34-fight, 16-year career spent at middleweight. For his first challenge, ‘Jacare’ will take on none other than light heavyweight contender Jan Blachowicz, who was responsible for welcoming — and knocking out — former 185 champion Luke Rockhold to 205 lbs.
However, Ronaldo tells Ag Fight he does not think he will suffer the same fate as Rockhold, because he is already used to sparring with heavier teammates in the gym, plus Souza claims he is too heavy for the middleweight division anyway, so a move up to light heavyweight could be ideal for his frame.
“I never weighed 220 in my life. I’m a big guy (for middleweight). I walk around at about 211, 213, you know? I’ve been training with some really heavy guys, just heavyweights and some light heavyweights, too. I have no difficulties going against those heavier guys. I think I’ll weigh in at 213.
“I noticed that some athletes moved up talking too much and couldn’t adapt to the division,” Jacare continued. “I think it’s good to show some respect. It’s a different division, with different athletes. Thiago Santos and Anthony Smith did it well, but other guys didn’t. I just want to do my job and not think of anything besides my opponents. We try to figure out what they (Luke Rockhold and Chris Weidman) did right and they did wrong. We try to analyze our style against our opponent’s and go fight. There’s not much to think, you just have to go out there, put your gameplan to practice and win.”
Should Jacare score a win over Blachowicz, who is currently on a three-fight winning streak and is a top 5 light heavyweight, that victory could put Ronaldo on the fast track for a title shot. Jacare though, says he’ll take it one fight at a time.
“A victory could put me really close to the belt, just like I’ve always been at middleweight. But I’m not thinking about it, I’m only thinking about winning and moving forward. It’s no use to talk before putting in the work, first I have to work before I can talk.”
In his last fight, Souza (26-7-1 NC) dropped a unanimous decision to Jack Hermansson back in April. However, in the bout previous to that one, Jacare scored a knockout win over former middlweight champion Chris Weidman, in November 2018.
Now, the 39-year-old is expected to take on Blachowicz at UFC Fight Night 164’s main event, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on November 16.