Pros React to Jacare Souza Flooring Chris Weidman at UFC 230, Late Stoppage

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Jacare Souza, UFC 230
Jacare Souza, UFC 230 weigh-in Credit: Jason Burgos/Sherdog.com

Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ Rouza catapulted himself back into title contention at UFC 230 with a third round finish of former champion Chris Weidman. Yet the story following the fantastic co-main event in New York City was the terribly late stoppage that saw Weidman take unnecessary damage.

Coming into UFC 230, Chris Weidman had expected to face Luke Rockhold, in a rematch of the fight that cost Weidman the UFC’s middleweight championship. However, an injury to Rockhold threw a wrench in the mix. Instead of the former Strikeforce and UFC champ, Weidman instead drew Jacare Souza — one of the most feared grapplers in the middleweight division, if not the UFC.

However, a match-up of wrestler vs. BJJ ace resulted in a back-and-forth, high volume kickboxing affair. Jacare was rocked first. By the third, both men had taken punishment. Yet with a damaged nose (he’d later state it wasn’t, at least, broken), mouth open, gasping for air, Jacare still managed to get the job done — dropping Weidman, who crashed to the canvas stiff as a board.

The fight should have been over there. Watching Weidman try to defend was like watching a robot in slow motion. Instinct was there, but consciousness was, for the most part, not. Souza himself seemed ready to walk away, yet ref Big Dan Miragliotta insisted the pair fight on. That led to Weidman eating a few more punches, without need, and Jacare voicing his displeasure with having to do unnecessary harm to a fellow fight.

The pros react to both the win, and the stoppage, below!

 

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