Ronaldo Souza's Blogs
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Podcast: Beatdown After The Bell ‘Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman’
By: Sherdog.com Staff
TJ De Santis and Jordan Breen took to the Sherdog Radio Network Saturday night for “Beatdown After the Bell: Strikeforce ‘Rousey vs. Kaufman.’”
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De Santis and Breen gave their reaction to the fight card that saw Ronda Rousey submit Sarah Kaufman in the first round by. The pair also ponder if Rousey’s dominance is really a good thing for women’s mixed martial arts on the whole.
Along with main event analysis, the show examined Saturday’s undercard, where Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza won by knockout and Miesha Tate battled from behind to steal a victory from Julie Kedzie.
Check out the best post-fight analysis in the business by clicking here. -
Poll: Best BJJ in MMA?
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The Turning Point: Souza vs. Lawler
By: Chris Nelson
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza (top) vs. Robbie Lawler | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
To those simply reading the result of Saturday’s Strikeforce middleweight title bout, it perhaps came as no surprise to see that multiple-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza had submitted challenger Robbie Lawler. But the result told only half the story, as Souza was forced to take the long way home in defending his belt, and to implement a different sort of ground game than he’s known for.
One minute into the Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg” co-main event, following a twitchy feeling-out process, the two men tied up and Souza spun Lawler to the canvas with a high single-leg takedown. Lawler scored with a few short, stiff punches to the Brazilian’s head, but Souza soon moved effortlessly to side control on Lawler’s right. Balancing his weight across his foe’s torso, Souza seized up a kimura, went to north-south position and then just as easily switched to controlling Lawler’s left side.
In the midst of the BJJ black belt’s proverbial clinic, Lawler twisted loose, shrimped into Souza and scrambled to his feet. Souza tried to snare a guillotine, but could not find the proper angle and abandoned the hold as Lawler shoved him off. With the fight back in his domain, the brick-fisted Lawler walked straight at Souza.
Souza tried to keep Lawler at bay by flicking out a kick, but it whiffed, and Lawler rushed right in. A right hand clipped Souza behind the ear and sent the champion stumbling. An overhand right buckled the Brazilian’s legs, and a follow-up left sent him falling to his back. This, many had predicted, was how Lawler could claim the title: by using the wrecking balls attached at the ends of his arms to exploit Souza’s exploitable chin. Read more -
‘Jacare’: I’m Mayhem’s Tormentor
By: Sherdog.com Staff
Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, with Marcelo Alonso, on his rivalry with Jason “Mayhem” Miller:
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“He’s not my tormentor. I already beat him in the first fight, and the second time that I faced him, I was winning and he did that nonsense. I’m his tormentor, because it was me who won both fights … I’m there to do my job. If they want to put him against me, it will be great. It will be nice to hit a guy that I really don’t like. So, I could hit him with much ease.” -
Audio: Diaz, 'Jacare' Conference Call
Strikeforce held a conference call for the media on Thursday to promote its Jan. 29 San Jose, Calif., event.
Nick Diaz, Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza and CEO Scott Coker participated in the call. Audio from the teleconference is available in the player below.
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Coker Discusses Strikeforce Title Pictures, Concern for Smith & More
By: Sherdog.com Staff
Scott Coker: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com
In addition to discussing potential opponents for Paul Daley and how negotiations are going with Fedor Emelianenko, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker touched on a variety of other topics during his interview Monday on “Beatdown”:
On Dan Henderson’s knockout of Renato Sobral:
“He’s back to his old self. He took it very seriously this time, training very seriously, and he just feels comfortable at 205. He doesn’t have to diet down. He doesn’t have to not eat dinner the night before. When I talked to Dan at the weigh-ins, he was like, ‘I just had a meal and I still feel good.’ And he only weighed 203 even. I think he’s found his sweet spot. I don’t think you’ll see him fluctuating in weight like he has done in the past.”
On why Henderson, who lost his Strikeforce debut to Jake Shields at 185, moved up to 205:
“After the fight in April, and again -- that fight, you never know, because a guy jumps on you, lays on you, hugs you for five rounds -- that’s a tough way to gauge it. He just felt that he was depleted, that he ran out of gas a little bit. It was a tough weight cut for him … and at that time he said, ‘Look, I’d really like to try 205 and see how I feel there.” Read more -
Career Advice: Strikeforce ‘Houston’ Edition
Chad Griggs vs. Bobby Lashley: Dave Mandel | Sherdog.com
Strikeforce’s event Saturday in Houston saw breakout performances from “Jacare,” “Feijao” and even the spectacularly sideburned Chad Griggs, but it was a night that will be remembered for the jaw-dropping failure of the fighters Strikeforce was pinning hopes on.
All is not lost, however, for the promotion’s would-be stars. They’re just a few months’ worth of tinkering and therapy away from developing as hoped. In an attempt to speed the process along, here is what the night’s less than lucky participants need to work on or flat-out ditch altogether.
King for a Day, Jester for a Lifetime
There isn’t a sane man or woman alive who would argue against the notion that Muhammed Lawal has the talent to become a truly special mixed martial artist. However, talent alone doesn’t cut it in a sport full of supposedly talented athletes making the fistic equivalent of minimum wage.
It was obvious during Lawal’s doomed fight with Cavalcante that he didn’t believe there was any way he could lose. Between the reckless defensive stance, telegraphed body punches and conspicuous absence of any chain wrestling, “King Mo” seemed certain that talent alone would win the day. Instead, he got his first career loss.
The only way Lawal will ever fulfill the potential he squandered Saturday night is by dropping the schtick and getting serious about fighting. That means no more emulating professional boxers he has no chance of ever approximating and a lot more time spent drilling the fundamentals of fighting he left by the wayside. Read more -
Audio: Kennedy-'Jacare' Conference Call
Strikeforce held a conference call for the media on Thursday to promote its Aug. 21 Houston, Texas, event.
Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, Tim Kennedy, K.J. Noons, Jorge Gurgel and CEO Scott Coker participated in the call. Audio from the teleconference is available in the player below.
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Coach Vows Feijão, Jacaré, Galvão Will Sweep Strikeforce Titles
By: Marcelo Alonso
Brazil’s X-Team coach Josuel Distak said this week will be one of celebration for the gym, as two of his prized students, Rafael “Feijão” Cavalcante and Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza, returned with impressive victories from Saturday’s Strikeforce “Heavy Artillery” in St. Louis, Mo.
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“Feijão has shown once again that, in shape, he is between the world's best at this weight and deserves a title shot," said Distak, who cornered the 205-pound fighter with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva through his first-round knockout of Antwain Britt.
Regarding Jacaré's fight, Distak praised the fighting spirit of opponent Joey Villasenor, who fell to the Brazilian in a clear-cut unanimous decision. -
‘Jacare’ Ready for Title Shot ‘Next Month’
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza delivered an impressive performance Saturday in his win over Joey Villasenor. In this exclusive interview, he tells Sherdog.com’s Loretta Hunt that he’s ready for a middleweight title shot “next month.”
Jacare also breaks down his victory over Villasenor.
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