Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza anser nu i efterhand att det inte var en sådan bra ide att ta sig an den på uppåtstigande fightern Robert Whittaker endast två månader efter Souza besegrat Tim Boetsch genom submission.
Den brasilianske jiu-jitsu svartbältaren gav sina tankar om matchen till Combate samt till MMAfighting.com där han menade att han borde tagit längre tid på sig att återhämta sig från matchen mot Boetsch. Han borde också tagit mer tid till att förbereda sig inför nästa match.
I should have waited a little longer, but it’s gone now. Unfortunately, the short break wasn’t so good for me.
Han menade även att den skada han opererade sig för efter matchen egentligen tillkommit innan förlusten.
I got injured before the Tim Boestch fight. I healed before that fight (with Boetsch), but I think that it was worse during this last camp. I tore the muscle more, so I lost a lot of strength.
Utöver detta berömde han Whittaker för hans ”game plan”. Souza uttryckte sig i följande ordalag om matchens dramatik och menade också att han nu måste blicka framåt.
Truth is, I screwed myself. My opponent had a better gameplan and he managed to implement it, so he won. Honestly, I thought I was going to score a nice win, I was very confident, but it didn’t work, unfortunately. I think he had a better day than me. I even managed to take him down. When the first round ended, I told my coaches I felt he was tired and I would kick ass.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get him again and he started to land strikes until he won. Now, I have to train and come back better. The fight is over, there’s no use dwelling on the past. I have to focus on the future and close the gaps in my game.
I honestly thought I would win the fight, that I would impose my game and win. I was confident, but this son of a gun came with a better strategy and defeated me. He beat me up good. That’s the only fight I was beaten up this much, but it happens. You step inside the Octagon and there’s a risk of not being on a good day, facing someone with a better strategy that can defeat you. There’s nothing else to say. I have to recover, come back and win.
Souza besegrades av Whittaker genom teknisk knockout i april tidigare i år. Förlusten bröt en två-matchers vinstsvit där han besegrat Tim Boetsch och Vitor Belfort. Det är ännu oklart vem som blir Souzas näste motståndare.
