» Fighter: Ronaldo Souza

“I think [Vitor Belfort] is a great fighter,” Fighters.com’s fourth-ranked middleweight “Great” Nate Marquardt (29-8-2) told MMA Weekly Radio recently.  “I don’t necessarily agree with him getting a shot or whatever, just because he really hasn’t fought at 85,” he added.

Read More About Strikeforce’s Jake Shields vs. Dan Henderson Title Fight is Better Than UFC’s Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort – Fighters.com’s January Middleweight Top Ten…

Strikeforce middleweight “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-2) climbed a rung to to number eight in December with a first-round submission of “The Law” Matt Lindland (21-7) at Evolution in San Jose December 19.

Read More About Souza, Shields, & Henderson Make a Trio for Strikeforce – Fighters.com’s December Middleweight Rankings…

Fighters.com’s second-ranked middleweight Jake Shields (23-4-1) cemented his status as top contender to Fighters.com and UFC Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva’s (25-4) titles and picked up the Strikeforce strap himself in a five-round unanimous decision over former top ten and nails-tough “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-7) at Strikeforce in Chicago November 7.

Read More About Fighters.com’s November Middleweight Rankings – Is Jake Shields the Antidote to Anderson Silva’s Dominance?…

Light heavyweight prospect “King Mo” Muhammed Lawal (4-0), DREAM veteran middleweight “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (8-2), and UFC veteran middleweight “The Law” Matt Lindland (21-6) are set for Strikeforce Evolution in San Jose December 19, Strikeforce has announced.

Read More About Strikeforce Evolution: “King” Mo Lawal, Matt Lindland, “Jacare” Slated for December…

Strikeforce has inked a multi-fight deal with Brazilian middleweight “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (8-2).

“I am very excited that I will have the opportunity to fight in Strikeforce amongst many of the world’s best middleweight fighters,” said the 29-year-old Souza. “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.”

After a brilliant run in the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix in Tokyo last year, Souza was knocked out by Strikeforce 205er, then middleweight and eventual tourney champ Gegard Mousasi (21-2-1) in the finals. Souza had left “Mayhem” Jason Miller (22-7) and Zelg Galesic (7-3) in his wake to the final showdown versus Mousasi.

Read More About Strikeforce Adds “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza to Middleweight Roster…

Dutch mixed martial artist Gegard Mousasi (24-2-1) knocked out Xtreme Couture’s “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (10-2) at 2:15 of round one with an upkick as the Brazilian dove into Mousasi’s guard throwing an overhand.

It was Sousa who put the fight on the mat with a double-leg takedown at the opening; and, Mousasi fought like it was a prison rape to get the BJJ world champion off of him.

Mousasi finally created distance; and, Sousa leapt back into Mousasi’s guard when he absorbed the upkick full-on to his jaw.

Lights out!  “Jacare” went limp; and, Mousasi rolled from beneath him.

Mousasi, a 23-year old phenom, won the first DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix Championship with the KO.

On his way to the title, Mousasi took out former top ten Canadian Denis Kang (30-10-1), world champion judoka Dong Sik Yoon (4-6), and, Tuesday night in Saitama, both aggressive kickboxer “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-5-1) and two-time World Jiu-Jitsu Champion Souza in the same night.  It was an impressive run through a gauntlet of styles chronicled by Fighters.com in interviews with Mousasi after defeating Kang and Yoon.

It took “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (10-1) only 1:27 to earn a spot in the DREAM Middleweight Grand Prix final with a submission of “Benkei” Zelg Galesic (9-4) in Saitama, north of Tokyo, Tuesday night.

The fight got underway quickly as Jacare slammed Galesic to the mat and controlled from the side until he was able to mount.

“I went for a kick, missed it, and found myself on my back,” said Galesic.

Galesic reversed positions; but, “Jacare” caught him in an armbar and Galesic was forced to tap.

Galesic explained, “He done some sort of leg triangle mount and my arm popped out.”

Thanks to Jurojin boss Ino Alberga, Fighters.com served-up questions with rising middleweight Gegard Mousasi (22-2-1), who will trade strikes with “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-4-1) in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 23 September in DREAM’s Middleweight GP semi-final.

If Mousasi defeats the Dutchman, he’ll move into the final the same night versus the winner of Fighters.com’s eighth-ranked middleweight “Jacare” Ronaldo Souza (9-1) and “Benkei” Zelg Galesic (9-3).

Fighters.com: After defeating Denis Kang (29-10-1) at DREAM.2 in 29 April, you called out “Marvelous” Melvin Manhoef (22-4-1) for your next fight and had called him out even before then.  Why has Manhoef been on your hit list?

Gegard Mousasi: I consider myself a young, up-and-coming fighter, who has to fight the strongest opponents.  Besides that, it was also a personal thing for me to get more exposure in Holland.  In Holland, most of the people only know “Hurricane” Gilbert Yvel (33-12-1), “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (28-11), and Melvin Manhoef, all of whom I very much respect and with some of them I have had regular trainings.  By fighting Melvin , the people in Holland (and, of course, the rest of the world) will recognize that Holland has a new kid on the block.  I need to prove something in Holland!

Fighters.com: Manhoef comes out aggressively at the bell.  Does he leave himself open at his initial charge?

Gegard Mousasi: I agree that he is very aggressive when he comes out.  Every fighter will have his weakness; but, I consider Melvin as one of the best strikers in the 185-pound category.  But, that makes it more exciting to take the challenge.  I know I can fight him standing up.  He will have problems with my reach.

Fighters.com: How will you use your extra four inches over Manhoef as an advantage?

Read More About Mousasi: “I need to prove something in Holland!”…

Fighters.com’s seventh-ranked middleweight “Twinkle Toes” Frank Trigg (17-6) made a successful comebackwith an anti-climactic unanimous decision over Makoto Takimoto (4-5) in Saitama, north of Tokyo, 25 August and plans to fight Falaniko Vitale (26-8) 3 October in Denver.

Trigg also welcomed a son, Stone, to his family in September.  Congratulations from Fighters.com.

The remainder of the Middleweight Top Ten was on holiday last month…well, at least at middleweight.

Top contender “Ace” Rich Franklin (23-3) made a successful return to light heavyweight in Atlanta 6 September.  He remains wishy-washy about his future in either division.

But, before Franklin could move-up to 205, Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4) beat him there.  Franklin must wonder whether Silva is going to move to Cincinnati and start teaching high school math too.

Silva is preparing to defend his Fighters.com and UFC titles versus “Predator” Patrick Cote (13-4) in Chicago 25 October.

Third-ranked “Ely” Paulo Filho’s (16-0) WEC title defense versus Chael Sonnen (20-9-1) was postponed from tonight to 5 November due to Hurrican Ike.

Fourth-ranked EliteXC champ “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (16-4) is rumored to be considering a rematch versus Joey Villasenor (26-6), whom Lawler KO’d in 22 seconds in 2006.

Read More About Fighters.com’s September Middleweight Rankings…

The middleweight top ten whirls like a dervish across the UFC, WEC, EliteXC, DREAM, Sengoku, and Strikeforce, leaving Fighters.com’s Middleweight Champion “Spider” Anderson Silva (22-4) to defend versus “Predator” Patrick Cote (13-4) in Chicago 25 October.

The UFC seemed intent that sixth-ranked “Thunder” Yushin Okami (21-4-1) miss his de facto UFC top contender challenge of Silva, marketing Cote versus “Cachorrao” Ricardo Almeida (9-3) in Las Vegas 5 July as an eliminator fight even before Okami pulled up lame with a broken hand.

Cote won by split decision.

Read More About Fighters.com’s August Middleweight Rankings…