The co-main event of UFC 198 featured a middleweight bout between Vitor Belfort and Jacare Souza that could determine the next top title contender.
“Jacare,” a former Strikeforce middleweight champion, rolled over former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort on Saturday night in Curitiba, rendering him a bloody mess before earning the TKO win at 4:38 of the opening round of the co-feature bout.
Souza (23-4, 1 NC), an eight-time World Jiu-Jitsu Championships gold medalist, didn’t need long to get Belfort to the mat, then start reigning down punches and elbows. The fight was briefly stopped as the cageside doctor checked the wicked cuts on Belfort’s face.
Belfort was cleared to continue, but things didn’t get any better from there. Souza once again found himself in a dominant position and once again laid down the ground and pound, at one point look up at the referee to see if he was going to call it off. Eventually, the bout was waved off.
source: mmafighting.com
Jacare Souza looking excited to be in the building.
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/731693058836824065
Jacare Souza warming up:
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/731689860893966336
The alligator victorious:
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/731695226339778561
Official Result: Jacare Souza defeated Vitor Belfort by TKO (Strikes, Round 1, 4:38)
Jacare Souza interviewed in the Octagon after the biggest win of his career to date:
About Vitor Belfort
Thoughts on opponent, Ronaldo Souza? He is a tough fighter and I am sure it will be a great fight. I am looking forward to it.
TRAINING: I’ve been doing this as a professional athlete for 20 years. I’ve been on the top of my sport for all this time. And the only way to achieve that is giving everything I got during training and I don’t mean only physically, I mean everything. Sacrifice is needed to reach the top and stay there.
When and why did you start training for fighting? I just liked the sport. It is challenging and I like to be challenged.
source: ufc.com
About Jacare Souza
TRAINING: Morning – MMA Training with my coaches and Xgym teammates for about 90 minutes, where we do sparring and very intense training. Afternoon – Drilling and strategic training for about 90 minutes at the Xgym, where I sharpen my weapons or try to bring something new to my arsenal. We have a schedule where I train Jiu-Jitsu, Boxing, Wrestling, etc. through the week. Night – Conditioning training with my coach Rogerio Camoes at Xgym, about 45-60 minutes five or six days a week; it changes every week. This is where we make sure I will be at my peak level on the day of the fight.
When and why did you start training for fighting? I started with Jiu-Jitsu when I was 17 years old, I fell in love with the sport and after all my conquests in Jiu-Jitsu and ADCC, MMA was my next challenge. I naturally moved on to MMA as a way of making a better living and combining it with what I love to do most, which is train and compete.
source: ufc.com
