Jacare vs The Joker: Submission specialists collide in UFC Fort Lauderdale main event
One of Europe's rising stars takes on an MMA legend in the main event of UFC Fight Night in Florida this weekend as Brazilian star Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza takes on Swedish ace Jack 'The Joker' Hermansson in Fort Lauderdale.
The main event sees Brazilian legend Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza go head to head with rising European star, Sweden's Jack Hermansson, in a clash of middleweights looking to earn themselves a shot at the title.
For longtime contender 'Jacare', victory should see him on the cusp of a title shot, while a win for former Cage Warriors champion Hermansson should see him catapulted towards a title eliminator later this year.
Souza's career has been packed with highlight-reel submission finishes, as the former BJJ world champion has racked up 14 wins by tapout in his mixed martial arts career.
But against Hermansson he faces a man who has finished two notable BJJ practitioners by submission.
'The Joker' tapped out Gerald Meerschaert with a guillotine choke in the first round last December, then followed up with a similar finish against former two-division WSOF champ David Branch in Philadelphia last month.
It should produce a fascinating clash that might just be determined by their prowess on the feet, rather than on the mat.
GREG HARDY RETURNS
Controversial heavyweight Greg Hardy makes his return as he bids to secure his first UFC win at the second attempt.
The disgraced former NFL star is looking to rehabilitate himself as a mixed martial artist, but his debut against Allen Crowder didn't go to plan, as he was unable to finish his man early on, then got himself disqualified after a blatant illegal shot that rendered Crowder unable to continue.
Now the UFC has drafted in heavyweight Dmitri Smolyakov, who lost by stoppage in two bouts in the UFC before being released.
Now Smolyakov has been drafted back in as a hand-picked opponent for Hardy, but the 36-year-old Russian, who has won all eight of his career bouts by stoppage, will look to upset the applecart and send Hardy to back-to-back losses.
'COWBOY' VS 'PLATINUM'
The welterweight clash between Brazil's Alex 'Cowboy' Oliveira and American 'Platinum' Mike Perry looks set to produce fireworks as two of the most exciting 170-pounders in the UFC go head to head.
Oliveira has won four of his last six, while Perry is never in a bad fight. A finish seems a near-cert.
UFC FORT LAUDERDALE: FIGHT CARD
MAIN CARD
Ronaldo Souza vs Jack Hermansson (middleweight)
Greg Hardy vs Dmitry Smolyakov (heavyweight)
Alex Oliveira vs Mike Perry (welterweight)
Glover Teixeira vs Ion Cutelaba (light-heavyweight)
John Lineker vs Cory Sandhagen (bantamweight)
Roosevelt Roberts vs Thomas Gifford (lightweight)
PRELIMS
Ben Saunders vs Takashi Sato (welterweight)
Andrei Arlovski vs Augusto Sakai (heavyweight)
Carla Esparza vs Virna Jandiroba (women's strawweight)
Gilbert Burns vs Mike Davis (lightweight)
EARLY PRELIMS
Jim Miller vs Jason Gonzalez (lightweight)
Angela Hill vs Jodie Esquibel (women's strawweight)
Court McGee vs Dhiego Lima (welterweight)
