UFC 194 middleweight contender Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Souza: I’ve got my own style

LAS VEGAS – UFC middleweight Ronaldo Souza is a fearsome competitor inside the promotion’s octagon and is quite clearly one of the best fighters at 185 pounds.

But you won’t see him trying to provoke anyone for career opportunities in the UFC, despite evidence that those who talk up their fights move faster up the ladder.

“I’ve got my own style,” Souza (22-3 MMA, 5-0 UFC), who at Saturday’s UFC 194 meets Yoel Romero (10-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC), told MMAjunkie. “I don’t feel bad about my style. It’s just a matter of I can’t speak English and I can’t communicate with people. But I don’t worry about it. I just do my thing, and I believe the fans see what they see and they like it.”

Souza is undefeated since he’s transitioned from the now-defunct Strikeforce to the UFC, dispatching five opponents to move within reach of a title shot. Yet to his chagrin, the opportunity has so far eluded him.

A win over Romero, who he’s thrice been scheduled to fight, appears to be the last or one of the last hurdles to a fight with the champion. The bout’s position, one below a middleweight title bout between champ Chris Weidman (13-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) and Luke Rockhold (14-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) on the pay-per-view main card of Saturday’s event at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Arena, suggests a big opportunity awaits.

The only talking Souza plans to do after his fight is requesting to meet the winner of UFC 194’s co-headliner.

“I’m going to come out with a victory, and then I’m going to ask for what I deserve,” he said.

Check out the full video above.

For more on UFC 194, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.