Jacare Souza’s manager ‘surprised’ by middleweight’s drop in rankings

Ronaldo Souza was the No. 1 contender in the UFC’s middleweight division and made quick work of late replacement Chris Camozzi in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 15. The first-round submission victory didn’t keep him in the No. 1 spot, though.

Luke Rockhold, who dominated and finished Lyoto Machida in the main event, jumped from No. 4 to take Jacare’s spot at the top of the division, and Souza’s team wasn’t expecting that.

“We were all surprised with moving ‘Jacare’ from first place on the middleweight rankings to second place,” Souza’s manager Gilberto Faria told MMAFighting.com. “We were all expecting Luke to move up to second place. Since Dec. 1999, ‘Jacare’ fought 13 times and only lost to the judges. Five fights and five victories inside the Octagon.”

Jacare and Rockhold are hoping to be the next in line for the middleweight title against the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort, but UFC president Dana White has yet to announce the next title contender.

“Now we will sit and wait to see what Dana White and Joe Silva will come up with and take from there,” Faria said. “Definitely Jacare is ready to be the next contender and like he said on the press conference, he is 100 percent ready, it’s his time and he will finish anyone on his division.”

Souza and Rockhold battled for 25 minutes in 2011, and the AKA talent became the Strikeforce middleweight champion with a unanimous decision victory. Jacare still feels he won that fight, and his manager suggested that the UFC adds that bout to the Fight Pass library.

“I would like to take this opportunity here at MMA Fighting and ask Dana White to put ‘Jacare’ vs. Rockhold fight on Fight Pass so everybody can see and judge who won that fight,” he said. “Also, we would like find out the name of the judge that gave five rounds to Luke and see if he has evolved and if he is doing a better now as a MMA judge.”

Sal D’Amato and Chris Lee scored the bout 48-47 Rockhold, but Bruce Snell saw it 50-45 Rockhold. According to MMA Decisions, Snell hasn’t scored a fight since.

Ronaldo Souza was the No. 1 contender in the UFC’s middleweight division and made quick work of late replacement Chris Camozzi in the co-main event of UFC on FOX 15. The first-round submission victory didn’t keep him in the No. 1 spot, though.

Luke Rockhold, who dominated and finished Lyoto Machida in the main event, jumped from No. 4 to take Jacare’s spot at the top of the division, and Souza’s team wasn’t expecting that.

“We were all surprised with moving ‘Jacare’ from first place on the middleweight rankings to second place,” Souza’s manager Gilberto Faria told MMAFighting.com. “We were all expecting Luke to move up to second place. Since Dec. 1999, ‘Jacare’ fought 13 times and only lost to the judges. Five fights and five victories inside the Octagon.”

Jacare and Rockhold are hoping to be the next in line for the middleweight title against the winner of Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort, but UFC president Dana White has yet to announce the next title contender.

“Now we will sit and wait to see what Dana White and Joe Silva will come up with and take from there,” Faria said. “Definitely Jacare is ready to be the next contender and like he said on the press conference, he is 100 percent ready, it’s his time and he will finish anyone on his division.”

Souza and Rockhold battled for 25 minutes in 2011, and the AKA talent became the Strikeforce middleweight champion with a unanimous decision victory. Jacare still feels he won that fight, and his manager suggested that the UFC adds that bout to the Fight Pass library.

“I would like to take this opportunity here at MMA Fighting and ask Dana White to put ‘Jacare’ vs. Rockhold fight on Fight Pass so everybody can see and judge who won that fight,” he said. “Also, we would like find out the name of the judge that gave five rounds to Luke and see if he has evolved and if he is doing a better now as a MMA judge.”

Sal D’Amato and Chris Lee scored the bout 48-47 Rockhold, but Bruce Snell saw it 50-45 Rockhold. According to MMA Decisions, Snell hasn’t scored a fight since.