Dana White: Hey dummies – this is why Chris Camozzi is fighting 'Jacare' Souza again

Chris Camozzi

Don’t come complaining to UFC President Dana White about the short-notice rematch between Ronaldo Souza and Chris Camozzi – unless you want to get called out on Twitter.

When one fan recently scoffed at the matchup, which serves as the co-headliner at Saturday’s UFC on FOX 15, White’s response was predictably combative.

“Hey dummy, u know how many people wanna fight Jacare on 6 days notice? 1!!!!” he wrote.

A lack of willing opponents certainly helps explain the middleweight matchup, which wasn’t exactly competitive the first time around. Souza (21-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC) and Camozzi (21-9 MMA, 6-6 UFC) met two years ago in the former’s first UFC appearance, and Camozzi tapped to an arm-triangle choke in the first round.

Still, not everyone is buzzing about the matchup, which was booked after original Souza opponent Yoel Romero (9-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) withdrew due to injury. Even Souza’s manager reportedly wanted the ex-Strikeforce champ to face Michael Bisping, who already is booked to meet C.B. Dollaway on April 25 at UFC 186.

For Camozzi, though, it’s a chance he simply can’t pass up.

“I love fighting,” he wrote on Twitter after the fight was announced. “It’s in my blood. Thank you everyone for the kind words. If you don’t like, ask you fav fighter why they didn’t ask.”

At least one veteran fighter has a theory why White and UFC matchmakers had so much trouble keeping Souza on the card.

“Cause they are p-ssies,” tweeted ex-UFC welterweight Brian Foster in response to other fighters not stepping, not immune to currying a little favor himself. “What top contender doesn’t kno that if they knock off Jacare they get a title shot is beyond me. Oh yea cause they weren’t ready. True fighters/ Pros stay ready.”

After winning four fights in the UFC’s octagon, Camozzi went on to lose four straight before being given his walking papers. He is a 7-1 underdog to upset Souza, whose bout with Romero was widely expected to crown the next middleweight contender.

It’s not yet clear whether Souza will get the same opportunity now that his fight comes against an unranked fighter who not long ago was on the outs with the promotion. Should Camozzi beat Souza, White can expect Twitter to blow up.

For more on UFC on FOX 15, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.