Strikeforce: How Does Jacare Souza Match Up Against the Top 10 UFC Middleweights

Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza may not yet be a household name to casual fans, but that may just be a matter of time.

In addition to his 14-2 record in the sport of MMA, the Brazilian is recognized as one of the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners in the world.  His five world championships put him in the upper echelon of the grappling art.

Since joining the promotion, "Jacare" (Portuguese for alligator) has reeled off four straight victories, including an impressive win over Tim Kennedy last August that earned him the vacant middleweight strap.  In that bout, the Brazilian showcased his improved striking to compliment his dangerous ground game.

With UFC parent company Zuffa purchasing the promotion, the team Blackhouse fighter likely has his sights set on moving to the big show and challenging the fighters already there.  Let's see how he stacks up against the top ten middleweights within the UFC.

10: Rousimar Palhares

Yet another dangerous Brazilian with a lethal submission game, "Toquinho" has claimed 9 of his 13 wins by way of tapout.  The stout, Brazilian Top Team-trained middleweight is infamous for his leg locks, but also possesses heavy hands.

"Jacare" certainly has the better grappling pedigree, but his path to victory against the 5-foot-8 fighter would be his stand-up game.  Using his reach and athleticism, Souza would be too much for his fellow Brazilian.

9: Demian Maia

One of the few fighters whose grappling credentials can compare to Souza, Demain Maia is yet another BJJ ace hailing from Brazil. 

His UFC career started with five straight submission wins.  Since then, Maia has shown improved striking, but could not create offense in his title shot last April.

Against Maia, much like Palhares, Souza's best attack would be his striking.  Training with the likes of Anderson Silva and Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante, Souza is more dangerous on feet.  If the pair did hit the ground, they'd likely cancel one another out.

8: Michael Bisping

British fighter and former Ultimate Fighter Michael Bisping has yet to get a shot at the UFC middleweight belt, but his 11-3 record inside the promotion cannot be ignored.  Bisping has used his pinpoint striking to guide him to victory against 13 of his 24 opponents. 

To date, the Brit has yet to encounter a fighter with the grappling caliber of Jacare and hence, has never been defeated by submission.

Souza would be the first to truly test Bisping's submission defense.  Bisping's lack of a grappling base would spell his doom against the Brazilian. 

Even with his solid striking, a fight against Jacare would be a terrible matchup for Bisping.

7: Chris Leben

Another Ultimate Fighter alum, Chris "The Crippler" Leben is known for his heavy hands and his resiliency.  While the reality show put the Oregon native on the map, it's his highlight reel knockouts and propensity for moving forward that have made him a fan favorite.

While Leben is a well-rounded fighter, even earning submissions from his back in his career, his ground game is no where near the level of Jacare.  If the Brazilian chose to stand with Leben, he might be in for a short fight, but on the mat, he'd have a clear advantage.

6: Mark Munoz

A departure from the previous fighters on this list, Mark Munoz is known for his strong wrestling base.  The former Oklahoma State wrestler captured the 2001 NCAA championship at 197 pounds. 

In addition to his wrestling, Munoz has coupled his attack with heavy hands earning the nickname "The Filipino Wrecking Machine."

Souza's offense against a wrestler like Munoz could very well be to let the fight hit the ground and work from his back.  Munoz's striking is on par with Souza's, so this matchup would largely come down to which grappling art is the most effective.  Jacare has the ability to be the first to submit Munoz.

5: Brian Stann

Former US Marine Brian Stann has proven that the middleweight division is where he belongs. 

The former WEC light heavyweight champion has gone undefeated since making the drop to 185 pounds.  "All American" possesses heavy hands and has secured 8 of his 11 wins by way of knockout.

Stann's never been truly tested on the mat, so a fight with Jacare is likely to be quite the challenge. 

The Brazilian bested former Army Ranger Tim Kennedy to win the Strikeforce belt, a fighter with similar credentials to Stann.  Souza utilized his striking in that fight, and against Stann, a repeat of that performance is not out of the question.

4: Vitor Belfort

Unlike many of the Brazilians on this list, including Souza, Vitor Belfort is known more for his striking, not his ground game. 

"The Phenom" has some of the fastest hands in the sport and his 14 wins by knockout are his biggest accolade. The former UFC light heavyweight champion's only loss in his last seven fights came as he battled for the middleweight belt.

Undoubtedly, Belfort may be the worst possible matchup for Souza. 

While Jacare's striking has evolved with each fight, he's not at the same level as his fellow Brazilian.  Souza's judo black belt may be his best asset in this matchup, closing the distance and hoping to neutralize Belfort's lightning fast hands.

3: Chael Sonnen

Much like Munoz, Chael Sonnen's biggest weapon is his wrestling. 

The former title challenger came within minutes of claiming the middleweight championship last August, but fell victim to a triangle choke.  The loss epitomized Sonnen's career, as he lost for the eighth time by submission.

Sonnen's past is a recipe for disaster against a submission fighter like Souza.  With the dangerous ground game of the Brazilian, Sonnen would be forced to try and survive repeated submission attempts. 

Based on his past performances, that does not seem likely, as Jacare would easily exploit the Team Quest fighter's biggest weakness.

2: Yushin Okami

The UFC's most recent title challenger, Yushin Okami, is known for his grind-it-out, punishing style. 

The Japanese fighter has only been finished twice in over 30 career fights; never by submission.  Okami's size and strength are his strongest assets.

Unlike Sonnen, who is susceptible to submissions, Okami is just the opposite. 

This is the exact matchup to challenge someone like Souza.  Okami's hard-nosed nature is something the Brazilian is yet to encounter in his MMA career and could spell trouble for Jacare.

1: Anderson Silva

Who better to challenge the Strikeforce champion than the UFC champion, Anderson Silva? 

Fittingly, the pair are teammates at Blackhouse.  However, the two Brazilians are stark contrasts in terms of style.  They are both black belts in both BJJ and Judo, but Silva is one of the most accomplished Muay Thai strikers in all of MMA.

It's unlikely that the two teammates would face off, but if they did, Jacare's only hope to end Silva's 15-fight winning steak would be on the mat.  Souza's grappling skills are better than Silva's, but the deficiencies in his stand-up would likely spell his doom before the fight hit the ground.