There may never be a better time for 'Jacare' Souza to stroll to a UFC title shot

The best part wasn’t the kick – it was the stroll.

After putting his shin upside Derek Brunson’s head in the first round of their rematch in UFC on FOX 27’s main event on Saturday night, Ronaldo Souza wasn’t about to go running in there looking for the finish.

That’s a young man’s move, that panicky rush to end a fight the instant the other guy is hurt. As if whatever you did to hurt him was a beautiful accident you’re not sure you could replicate.

But “Jacare” is 38. He’s been doing this nearly 15 years. He’s in no hurry. A dog that old knows when to sprint after food that’s fallen on the floor and when to walk calmly but with a purpose to the meal that’s not going anywhere. That was Souza in those final moments, sauntering over to stick his fist in Brunson’s ear – one, two, three times – until someone asked him to stop.

You could argue that Brunson (18-6 MMA, 9-4 UFC) should have gotten the chance to prove he could take more, but why? When he collapsed under the pressure, it was in the posture of a man looking for an escape. And besides, Souza (25-5 MMA, 8-2 UFC) was right there, ready to continue the attack as long as necessary. What, you think a guy who came walking in for the finish is going to suddenly tire himself out?

But you could be forgiven for wondering about Souza’s overall sense of urgency right about now. It’s one thing to be calm and collected in the moment, but isn’t this a fighter who should be in something of a hurry, all things considered?

Because that thing about being a 38-year-old veteran of the sport? It works both ways. Souza has only two losses in nearly five years with the UFC, but both were of the variety that serve to block a man’s title ambitions.

The good news is that things have changed at middleweight. The last man to beat Souza had to take a sick leave from his duties as champion (and right after he was promoted from interim champ to real champ as a result of another champion’s sick leave). In the meantime, the second-to-last guy to beat Souza will now fight the third-to-last guy, with the winner receiving an interim title of uncertain distinction and importance.

Surely, in a climate like this, Souza’s got to end up getting a crack at somebody with gold around his waist.

You’d hope so, because at this point it sure seems like “Jacare” is the best middleweight to never get a UFC title shot, even in this post-Anderson Silva age of rotating champions and proliferating belts. Instead he lost a couple key fights, struggled through some poorly timed injuries and illnesses, and battled just to get back in the cage for this main event bout with Brunson, which might explain his teary-eyed reaction after the first-round TKO win.

“Nine months without a fight, then I have the surgery and six months without training,” Souza said. “Then I have the second surgery for appendicitis and then I stayed in the hospital 10 days.

“Then after that I had to carry a bag to my belly to hold the liquids. Everything went to my mind.”

Now, with the division’s pecking order more uncertain than ever, maybe Souza will get the fresh start he needs. He may be in no particular rush, but that doesn’t mean there’s time to waste.

For more on UFC on FOX 27, check out the UFC Events section of the site.