Gallery Photos: UFC on ESPN+ 8 media day with Souza, Hermansson, Hardy, Perry and more view 37 images

PLANTATION, Fla. – Ronaldo Souza says he’s focused, prepared and confident ahead of Saturday’s UFC on ESPN+ 8 headliner.

Souza is very clear about one thing, though: He didn’t want this fight with Jack Hermansson. And accepting it took not only some serious insistence by UFC brass but also a very specific promise.

“It was hard negotiating for Jack,” Souza told MMA Junkie early Thursday in his native Portuguese. “That was hard. That was tough. I didn’t want to accept the fight at all. It’s a risk that I’m taking. I’m putting my career at risk; that’s the truth. It made me very upset, this fight. But we talked, and this and that. Then (UFC matchmaker) Mick Maynard came in, Hunter (Campbell), (UFC president) Dana White, all those people, and I said, ‘Either you promise me the belt and put that to paper and send it to me, or there’s no deal.’”

Souza first was brought onto Saturday’s card, which takes place at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., to meet Yoel Romero. The battle, a rematch of their razor-thin UFC 194 encounter, was already a replacement as Romero originally had been linked to fight Paulo Costa, who couldn’t because of commission issues.

When illness knocked Romero out of the card, Costa came back into the picture as a possible opponent for Souza – who accepted it. But then it was Costa who turned it down, citing concerns about making weight on short notice. That’s where Hermansson comes in.

“It was tough because everyone put a lot of pressure on me,” Souza said. “That’s what upset me a lot. … Everyone was, ‘Take the fight, take the fight.’ And the UFC people calling. And I said, ‘I don’t want this fight. I don’t want it. I won’t take this fight.’ And then Dana White, ‘Take this fight, it will be good because of this and that.’ And in my head, ‘Don’t take it, don’t take it, don’t take it.’ At the end of the day, we reached an agreement that is good for me.”

Although he talked about things being put to paper, Souza (26-6 MMA, 9-3 UFC) said the promise that a title shot would be next was entirely verbal. He is expecting it to be honored, though.

“Don’t forget about this, Dana White, UFC, or Mick Maynard, Hunter” Souza said during a media day, this time in clear English. “You promised me a title shot. Don’t forget about this.”

Souza’s dissatisfaction with the matchup and the circumstances leading up to it, however, aren’t a diss to Hermansson (19-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC). In fact, it’s quite the opposite; Souza sees “The Joker” as a very tough and improved opponent on his way up the middleweight division.

“He’s got very good jiu-jitsu,” Souza said. “He has a very sharp submission that makes it very hard for his opponents to escape when he locks it in. A very good ground-and-pound. (He’s got) some takedowns that are also very good and always make it hard for his opponents.”

Souza, however, is confident that won’t be enough to stop him. Despite the rocky negotiations, the Brazilian middleweight says he came into this fight week relaxed, focused and with his head in the right place, backed by the elevated confidence of a great camp.

“I can assure you that I am better than all the other times I stepped in that octagon,” Souza said.

Souza’s case for a title shot isn’t at all absurd or even unexpected. After all, he’s been making it for years, both in and outside of the octagon. And he’s vocalized his frustrations on that regard, too.

At last November’s UFC 230, after a third-round TKO win in a “Fight of the Night” against ex-champ Chris Weidman, Souza made it clear that a title shot was “100 percent” next for him. At the time, that meant fighting the winner of a then-upcoming UFC 234 battle between champ Robert Whittaker and Kelvin Gastelum.

Things changed quite a bit since then. Whittaker had to withdraw from that title fight in the last minute, promoting a key fight between Israel Adesanya and Anderson Silva to the night’s headliner. Adesanya won and credentialed himself to fight for the interim title, which he conquered in an epic battle with Gastelum at UFC 236.

Adesanya and Whittaker are now expected to unify their belts, which could involve some waiting for whomever is next in line for the belt. But if in the past “Jacare” had a problem with that idea, he’s ready to wait his turn this time around.

“I have no problem waiting,” Souza said. “I waited nine months to be born. I went three years without fighting at a time when I was very hungry to fight. I’ve waited so long, for so many things that were good and so many things that were bad, as well. Why wouldn’t I wait for something that I am sure is going to be good for me and my career? And it’s not even that much time. They’re expected to fight July-September. I’m going to fight at the end of the year, early next year.

“There are young guys who fought once in 2018, who haven’t fought in more than one year, nobody says anything. And then every time they come talk to me, ‘But you’re going to go this long without fighting?’ I won’t. In 2018, I fought three times. I’m fighting no, and I’ll probably fight at the end of the year again. I’m not going to go that long without fighting.”

Souza has a preference as to whom, between Whittaker and Adesanya, he’d like to fight: the winner. In the meantime, he’s got a plan to keep himself busy.

“I’m going to go there; I’m going to beat up this guy,” Souza said. “I’m going to go back home. I’m going to go on vacation with my wife. I’m going to spend some time not fighting. On Sunday, I’m going out with my three kids. Maybe I’ll even get a car to go for a stroll. So I’m good.”

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