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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Perhaps the most impressive performance on Saturday's final Strikeforce event in Oklahoma City came from former Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza. Taking on the UFC's Ed Herman - on loan for this final event - Souza was more than up to the challenge, taking Herman out with ease both on the feet and then on the ground before securing a kimura for the first round submission win.
It was a testament to Souza's continued improvement in both his striking and grappling games, and he looked like a serious threat to anyone in the middleweight division as he prepares to make his move to the UFC.
"I believe in my hard work, and I believe I'm going to do pretty well there," Souza said of his eventual entrance into the UFC during the post-fight press conference on Saturday (via MMAJunkie.com). "There's a lot of good opponents there. But I'm going there to break some people down. I believe the time is just right."
"I've got a lot of experience, I have great fights, and now I'm ready to go to the UFC and do my best."
Penick's Analysis: If anyone from Strikeforce is poised to make a run in the UFC, it might be Jacare. The middleweight division is a weakened field as it is, so with fewer challengers to get through, Souza's improved skill set might just put him in position to be fighting for a title in short order. His striking game has come leaps and bounds from where it was just a year and a half ago, and he's so good on the ground with his takedowns, transitions, and submissions. Taking out Herman, who had won three fights in a row before a decision loss to Jake Shields in August, is no small feat, and doing it the way he did was extremely impressive. Fans should be anticipating his UFC debut as much as any of the fighters coming over from Strikeforce.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
STAFF COLUMNISTS: Shawn Ennis - Jason Amadi
Frank Hyden - Rich Hansen
Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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