Jacare Souza def. Gegard Mousasi Round 3 (UFC Fight Night 50)

Ronaldo Souza waited more than six years for his shot at redemption against Gegard Mousasi, and in Friday’s UFC Fight Night 50 headliner on FOX Sports 1, “Jacare” finally got revenge. Souza (21-3 MMA, 4-0 UFC), suffered a 2008 knockout loss to Mousasi (35-5-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) under the now-defunct DREAM banner, avenged just one of three losses in his professional career, and he did it with style with a third-round submission inside Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, Conn.Jacare took the center of the cage to start the fight, but was staying patient before shooting in for a low single-leg takedown. Mousasi was pawing out his jab. Jacare closed the distance and pushed Mousasi up against the cage before looking for another takedown attempt. Jacare looked for an inside leg trip, but Mousasi’s balance and takedown defense was on full display. As Jacare shot for a takedown, Mousasi fired off some elbows to the side of the head and ended up on his back. Mousasi went for a triangle attempt. There was a moment where Mousasi could have fired off some upkicks, but Jacare avoided the strikes and ended up back in Mousasi’s half guard. Jacare fired off some ground-and-pound and started looking for a kimura.After a scramble, Mousasi’s was sitting on his bum with his back against the fencing. He was slumped forward and Jacare jumped on his neck for a guillotine attempt. Mousasi was drained of energy and his back was literally against the wall; he had nowhere to go. Jacare wrapped his legs around the body of Mousasi and torqued the choke. Mousasi was forced to submit and Herb Dean waved the fight off.Mousasi slouches shoulders and moves in, trying to create some offense in the stand-up. Couple of errant jabs, as Souza is keeping his head moving. Big exchange as Souza moves in on him, and Mousasi may have taken the worst of that. A welt forming on Mousasi’s eye. He gets blasted with a big right hand that snaps his head back! He takes it, and Jacare takes him back down. Jacare is dominating on the ground, but he’s also more than holding his own in the stand-up realm. Now he stands and circles around Mousasi, who is on his knees, and snatches his back. Can’t hold it. Sweat, and he slips off. Back to center as they reset. Mousasi huffing air, looks tired. His right eye is busted up pretty good. Jacare puts his head down and rams Mousasi into the fence, trying to once again dump him to the canvas. Mousasi grabs the fence on the way down, and Dean throws out a verbal reprimand.With the victory, Souza (21-3, 1 NC) won his seventh straight fight. Six of them have been finishes. "If anyone doubts me, they are completely wrong," Souza said through an interpreter. "I am next for the title." Souza went after a sluggish Mousasi (35-5) from the outset. He controlled every aspect of the fight, from crisp striking to effortless takedowns to constant work to improve his position and go for submissions on the ground.