Known to most simply as “Jacare,” Ronaldo Souza is simply, and truly, one of the greatest grapplers in MMA today. In addition to winning the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu World Cup in 2004, the decorated black belt is also a 2004 CBJJ Pan American Champion as well as a 2005 ADCC World Champion. He is generally regarded as one of the absolute best pure submission fighters in the world, especially in professional MMA competition.

Jacare made an uninspiring professional MMA debut in 2003, losing in the first round by knockout. After that dismal performance, Souza bounced back with a 10-fight winning streak, submitting all but one of his opponents, Jason “Mayhem” Miller, whom he defeated by Unanimous Decision in the second round of the 2008 Dream Middleweight Grand Prix. Although Souza would go on to lose in the finals of the Grand Prix to highly-regarded light heavyweight Gegard Mousasi, he returned to his next bout new and improved. He made his Strikeforce debut over a year later and displayed far more developed standup game, before reverting to what he knows best and submitting Olympic wrestler Matt Lindland in the first round with an arm triangle choke. Jacare’s improved standup was also on display in his Strikeforce tilt with Joey Villesenor, whom Jacare had to fight to a gritty decision in order to get the nod.

Although he has been susceptible to powerful strikers in his two career losses to date, Souza is so accomplished in the realm of submission fighting that his strength on the ground usually outweighs his deficiencies on the feet, as he has notched submission finishes in all but one of his career wins. As his standup continues to improve, he figures to be among the top fighters in the world in his weight class.