‘Jacare’ Signs Deal With Strikeforce MMA Promotion
Though it didnt receive anywhere near the media attention of Fedor Emelianenkos rejection of the UFC for Strikeforce, MMA experts were impressed with the announcement that the San Jose, California based promotion had signed Brazilian middleweight Ronaldo ‘Jacare Souza’ to a multifight contract. He is expected to make his Strikeforce debut on the same October event as Emelianenko, which will be broadcast on the Showtime premium cable network.
In a statement released by the promotion, Souza expressed his pleasure at the signing:
“I am very excited that I will have the opportunity to fight in STRIKEFORCE amongst many of the worlds best middleweight fighters. STRIKEFORCE has an extremely deep roster of top middleweight fighters. I am looking forward to the challenge and to taking my career to the next level.”
Souza is better known in Japan simply as Ronaldo Jacare. He got the nickname in his hometown of Manaus, Brazil–a Portuguese term for a species of alligator that is common to the area.
He was a runner up in the 2008 DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix Tournament, losing in the finals to Gegard Mousasi. Jacare was in control of the fight until he got caught by a Mousasi upkick that knocked him unconscious. In his last fight, he faced American Jason Mayhem Miller in a rematch of their DREAM tournament bout. This fight ended in a no contest after Mayhem was cut by an inadvertent illegal blow.
Souza began training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at the age of 17 and fought MMA legend Randy The Natural Couture to a draw in a grappling contest in 2006. Shortly thereafter he began training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. He has since returned to training in his homeland but will reportedly train in the United States at least part time going forward.
MMA fans are already anticipating several excellent potential matchups for Jacare in Strikeforce, including an almost inevitable showdown with another of the worlds top middleweights, Jake Shields. Also of great interest would be a catchweight matchup between Souza and Shields Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu teammate, Nick Diaz.
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