Point of interest: Jacare’s world
Given that, regardless of weight class, there are little-to-no names that you can confidently give the grappling edge to opposite of Souza, it’s hard to argue that the ground is not “Jacare’s” world.
Souza, who was already an athletic standout as a jiu-jitsu competitor, smartly sharpened his wrestling chops throughout the years, melding his grappling style into one solid sword.
Already a natural when it came to understanding technique, it was the wrestling and athleticism of Souza that often elevated him amongst his contemporaries in the first place. Now, over a decade later, you almost forget that the Brazilian ever wore a gi with the way in which he translated his no-gi game into MMA.
Whether he is shooting a reactive takedown in the open or hitting a double-leg against the fence, Souza is smart about when to close distance. Still, despite not being the biggest fan of leaning on traditional fight stats, I can’t help but wonder how Souza’s 29-percent takedown accuracy will translate up at 205 pounds – particularly against this opponent.
Since amassing his recent run of momentum, Blachowicz has reestablished his full-time training camp in Warsaw, a place where the Pole has been able to tighten up his wrestling chops.
Now, Blachowicz appears much more competent and comfortable when changing levels to counter aggression or when setting up and chaining takedowns of his own. More importantly, Blachowicz’s improvements have also translated defensively, demonstrating solid defensive fundamentals when fending off the likes of offensive wrestlers like Devin Clark or Luke Rockhold.
Blachowicz is also a proven Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who not only is proficient in transition and from top position but also is deceptively capable and flexible from the bottom when having to go for submissions or scramble opportunities.
Still, not all Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts are created equal in MMA, and there may be no better example of that than “Jacare.” Even when watching him grapple with a g
i on, you could easily see why Souza would make his plunge into the mixed martial arts scene.
Effortlessly floating to and from his favored base of operations that is the half guard, the 39-year-old stalwart will exercise his options like a kid in a candy store. Whether Souza is using a kimura to advance to side control or a head-and-arm choke to cut to mount, Blachowicz will likely be in a special kind of quicksand should he find himself this deep into the Brazilian’s game.
Next point of interest: Odds, opinion and prediction