Jacare Souza stated his case for a shot at the UFC middleweight championship in brilliant fashion on Friday at the Foxwoods Resort in Ledyard, Conn., dominating one of the best 185-pounders the UFC has to offer.
Gegard Mousasi stopped Souza with an upkick in a 2008 match between the men in Japan, but the rematch at UFC Fight Night 50 was no contest. Souza was masterful, keeping Mousasi on his back much of the night before finishing him with a guillotine choke with 30 seconds left in the third round.
Souza is the most logical contender to face the winner of the Dec. 6 title match between Chris Weidman and Vitor Belfort, though UFC president Dana White would not commit to it.
There is little more that Souza could do, however, to prove his worthiness. Mousasi has great hands, but Souza's striking was sharper and more consistent. He used his strikes to back Mousasi against the cage and then take him to the mat.
When they went to the ground, Mousasi couldn't get up. He defended submission attempts well over the first couple of rounds, but Souza was relentless and kept moving looking for the finish.
He went for the arm numerous times, but Mousasi was able to fight off the Kimura attempts. But Souza was not deterred. He used his strikes to back Mousasi against the cage, took him down and then snapped on the guillotine when Mousasi went into a seated position.
Souza, who has won seven in a row, hoped he erased all doubts with the effort.
"If anyone doubts that, they're completely wrong," Souza said of his title hopes. "[Former light heavyweight champion] Lyoto [Machida] fought this guy for five rounds and couldn't finish him."
It was a night of great finishes. Joe Lauzon opened the main card with a great back-and-forth match with Michael Chiesa. The bout was named Fight of the Night, Lauzon's UFC record 13th fight night bonus.
Lauzon kneed Chiesa in the head, opening a massive, gaping wound above Chiesa's right eye. Chiesa complained when the doctor suggested to referee Herb Dean that the fight be stopped, but it would have been dangerous for the fight to go on and Dean was correct.
Both main card heavyweight bouts ended quickly. Former Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem was knocked out for the third time in his last four fights when he was pounded out at 2:19 in the first by Ben Rothwell. Rothwell landed an overhand right above the ear, which dropped Overeem. Rothwell pounced and finished him.
"The right hand I hit him with didn?t knock him out, but I jumped all over him the second he wobbled," Rothwell said.
Derrick Lewis called out Matt Mitrione, and he got his wish, but that proved to be a mistake when a short right hand by Mitrione ended the fight after just 41 seconds.
Edgar Garcia Leonard Garcia Andrew Gardner Tiki Ghosn Dennis George
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