2. ‘Jacare’ Souza’s conundrum
If there’s a concern about Blachowicz’s title chances coming off the win, then there has to be for Souza’s (26-8 MMA, 9-5 UFC) future prospects after the defeat, as well.
This is a tricky situation for Souza. Although disappointed in the result, it was obvious from his post-fight comments that Souza was proud of the way he performed against a top-ranked contender in his light heavyweight. Still, though, a loss is a loss.
For the first time in his career, Souza is on a two-fight losing skid. With his 40th birthday just around the corner, that’s not a place he wants to be. The move up to 205 pounds seemed like a good idea given the fact he’d essentially hit his ceiling as a middleweight, but now Souza has to make some decisions.
The topic of retirement hasn’t been foreign to Souza in the past. He’s still good enough to hang with elite fighters, but the question now is what are Souza’s goals, and how much work is he willing to put in to attain them?
Souza got a golden opportunity in his light heavyweight debut with the matchup against Blachowicz in his home country. It’s seems unlikely he’ll get another opportunity with so much upside, and it’s possible at that point Souza decides the juice is no longer worth the squeeze.
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