Ronaldo ’Jacare’ Souza hoppades tidigare på att bli ersättare i titelmatchen mot Luke Rockhold efter att Chris Weidman drog sig ur på grund av skada. Det istället Michael Bisping som fick matchen och tog sedan hem bältet efter att han knockade mästaren.
Det är nu oklart vem som kommer att få nästa möte med Bisping. Jacare opererade sitt knä efter att han segrade mot Vitor Belfort i maj och berättar att han nu är redo att gå match så fort UFC ger honom chansen.
Det här berättade Souza via ”MMAFighting”:
I can guarantee you that I’m physically better than anyone in the middleweight division today. I’m training, running, jumping. I’m healthier and physically better than anyone in this division.
Whenever they book the fight, and I’m sure it’s going to be for the belt, I’ll start my camp. No one has earned it more than me. I’m just waiting for the call from the UFC. I believe they will look at it in a meritocracy aspect, and it can’t be anyone but me. I’m waiting for the date.
Ett flertal fighters har bett om att få matchen mot den nye mästaren, bland andra Rockhold, Weidman, Anderson Silva, Dan Henderson och Georges St-Pierre. Souza är dock säker på att han är den som gjort sig mest förtjänt.
I never underestimate anyone, and won’t underestimate Bisping. I don’t know why everybody is calling him out when they won’t deserve to fight him. They don’t know where they are going when they didn’t even earn it. Dan Henderson is way behind, there’s no possibility he fights Bisping. It’s disrespectful to both of us, the No. 1 contender and the champion.
I honestly don’t give a damn (about Henderson). I think it would be wonderful if he fought for a title before retiring, but not in front of me. You have to earn it. Beat a top of the division first. He’s coming off many losses. If he wants to fight Bisping, he has to wait for his turn. Dan Henderson can’t fight for the title. It’s impossible. It won’t happen.
Georges St-Pierre berättade tidigare under The MMA Hour att Bisping skulle bli hans första val vid en comeback. Souza anser att detta är fegt.
St-Pierre never fought at middleweight. I don’t know what he’s doing here. To me, he’s a chicken. If I get him, I’ll break him in half. He’s retired and wants to fight for the title in a division he never fought before? He always ran away from Anderson (Silva), ran from fighting at 185, and now he wants the belt?
Look, I’ll give him this chance, and it’s going to be easy for me. I would pass on fighting for the belt only to fight him if he moves up. He’s a chicken. If he wants to move up, I would let Bisping for later, since I know I’m the next in line. If he wants to move up, I want him. I will break his neck.
Souza har vunnit 9 av sina 10 senaste matcher och förstår inte vad Bisping menar med att han inte skulle dra tillräckligt mycket tittare om de två möter varandra.
People have no idea what they are talking about. I don’t know where they got that from. I fought (Gegard) Mousasi in the United States and the whole crowd was in my favor. I fought the most popular fighter in Brazil, who is also very popular around the world, and the whole crowd was rooting for me. Fans are supporting me on social media. Aside from that, I’m ready to fight and ready to sell pay-per-views.
