Ronaldo Souza’s long-awaited UFC title shot might be delayed again if his teammate Anderson Silva beats Nick Diaz at UFC 183 on Jan. 31, but his team has different plans.

UFC president Dana White said that "Jacare" was "next in line for a title (shot)" after his win over Gegard Mousasi in September, but recently promised Silva a shot at the middleweight championship if he’s victorious on Jan. 31.

"Jacare" is scheduled to meet Yoel Romero at UFC 184 on Feb. 28, the same night of Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort title bout in Los Angeles, and Souza’s manager Gilberto Faria is confident that his performance will change White’s mind about the title picture.

"Dana is doing his job, which is to promote fights," Faria told MMAFighting.com. "Anderson Silva doing a great fight and with his history, he could go directly to a title fight. It’s up to the top fighters of the division (like) Ronaldo ‘Jacare’, Yoel Romero, Lyoto Machida and Luke Rockhold, who are going after their chances for the title, to, when they fight, change Dana White’s mind. That can happen at any time.

"Dana is always there, close to the fence, seeing who’s who, reacting to every fight and to the crowd. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dana White announces Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ as the next contender on Feb. 28," he continued. "He makes the call and he will always do what he thinks it’s best for the UFC. At the end of the day, it’s Dana White’s job to promote fights and generate money for Zuffa.

"Fans, media and even the fighter, with his performance during the fight, can influence Dana’s decision. I believe Jacare is, today, the fighter with most credentials to earn a title shot, and a win over a tough fighter like Yoel Romero will prove that."

A former Strikeforce middleweight champion, "Jacare" is 4-0 in the UFC with wins over Gegard Mousasi (submission), Francis Carmont (decision), Yushin Okami (TKO) and Chris Camozzi (submission), and Faria feels he would be a great match-up for either Weidman or Belfort.

"Weidman and Belfort are great fights for ‘Jacare’, and I believe a lot of people want to watch it," Faria said. "What I can guarantee is that Ronaldo ‘Jacare’ is ready for any challenge to come."