UFC Melbourne: Luke Rockhold vows to pick apart Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza
FORMER UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has moved quickly to rubbish claims from Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza that he has “holes in his game”, vowing to pick the Brazilian apart in Melbourne.
As he touched down in Melbourne to promote UFC Fight Night 101 at Rod Laver Arena on November 27, Rockhold scoffed at suggestions he would have a “big problem” with Souza.
“I see holes in Jacare’s game,” Rockhold quipped.
“His holes are a lot more obvious than mine. I’ve grown, he hasn’t and it’s about mindset. I know what it took to fight Jacare, I know what it took to beat Jacare and I know what it takes this time around.
“I know I’m the better man, I’ve just got to be focused. I respect Jacare but I’m going to go out there and pick him apart piece by piece. I’m going to put him away.”
Speaking to the press recently, Souza said: “This Rockhold fight is going to be wonderful for me.”
“Wonderful? I think he’s looking into it a little too much,” Rockhold said.
“Wasn’t it wonderful back in 2011? I don’t expect him to be better this time around.”
I don’t like people talking and I’m going to button up all my loose ends.
- Luke Rockhold 
Rockhold, 15-3, claimed a unanimous decision win over Souza on September 10, 2011, to secure the Strikeforce middleweight title.
The 31-year-old American then went on to win seven of his next eight fights — including the UFC middleweight title in December last year — in one of the most dominant runs in recent years.
But almost five years on, Souza (23-4) continues to claim he was robbed of the Strikeforce belt.
“It was a very obvious win on my part,” Rockhold declared.
“It was an easy 3-2. Two judges had it 3-2 and one 4-1, I might add, so I think that everyone that wasn’t Brazilian gave me the fight.
“There’s no doubt in my mind I won that fight. I’d love to go out there and finish the fight. I don’t like fights that go the distance.
“And so I want to come and bring a conclusion to this Jacare episode and this is the perfect opportunity.
“I don’t like people talking and I’m going to button up all my loose ends.”
Rockhold was unable to defend the belt he claimed from fellow American Chris Weidman, suffering a shock loss to Brit Michael Bisping.
And it continues to haunt him more than three months later.
“Of course it doesn’t sit well with me,” he said.
“I know I’m the better fighter and I know he found his mark that night. It was my fault, my bad. I had mentally checked out of that fight and I didn’t give him a chance and I went in there with no respect.
“I’ve never done that and I’ve never gone into a fight in that fashion. A blind squirrel finds a nut from time to time. I will rise again and I will have my belt.”
With a fight between Weidman and Yoel Romero reportedly in the wings, and a title fight between Bisping and American Dan Henderson slated for UFC 204 on October 8, Rockhold admitted his bout with Souza could be career defining.
And should Rockhold prevail, he believes the UFC’s next move is “pretty clear cut”.
“You’ve got Bisping-Henderson and if Henderson beats Bisping he will retire and it sets it up perfectly,” Rockhold said.
“There’s Weidman and Romero. I whipped Weidman’s arse and Romero is not the most relevant character coming off a steroid deal.
“Jacare is the most credible guy out there, I believe, and this is the clear cut No. 1 match-up. I go out there and put in a statement and there’s no other situation for the winner of the title fight.”