Jacare Souza feels fighting Chris Weidman is like taking a rematch.
Souza and Weidman have never mixed it up inside the Octagon, but they will on Nov. 3. The two middleweights will collide inside Madison Square Garden in New York City in the co-main event of UFC 230. Weidman was supposed to meet Luke Rockhold, but Rockhold went down with an injury. As a result, Souza was yanked from his bout with David Branch to take on the “All-American.”
Jacare Souza Explains Why UFC 230 Fight Feels Like A Rematch
Speaking to MMAFighting.com, Souza talked about wanting to defend Brazil’s honor by fighting Weidman:
“I have huge respect for Chris Weidman, I like him as a person and as an athlete, but I see it as a rematch, I feel like he had already defeated me before. He has defeated many (Brazilians), and I’m going there like if he had defeated me as well — and I never lose twice to the same person, so I’m very confident. It’s something natural for me. Whoever wins will be up there. That’s a fact and I don’t even need to talk too much about it. I want to go up (in the ranking). I want to get in there, win — and win convincingly — and then say ‘brother, I’ll sit down and only call me if you’re going to talk about the belt.’ Everyone else is injured, there’s no one else to fight. My focus is on this fight (with Weidman), of course, but everybody knows that this fight will take me up there.”
Weidman ended the legendary run of Anderson Silva by knocking him out in one of the most stunning finishes the sport has ever seen. Weidman defeated Silva in a rematch and then successfully defended his title against Lyoto Machida and Vitor Belfort. Souza is hoping he can be the one from Brazil to overcome Weidman.
Who do you like in this match-up, Jacare Souza or Chris Weidman?
