The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight division is far from being short on top contenders eager to get their shot at dethroning reigning division champion Chris Weidman.
Just look at the top 10, and maybe even one or two of the guys on the outside looking in.
One of the leaders of the pack is Ronaldo Souza, a contender who plans on asking for a title shot after he "annihilates" Gegard Mousasi in the main event of UFC Fight Night 50 on Sept. 5, 2014. After Vitor Belfort gets his shot, of course.
Souza revealed his plans to Combate (via Bloody Elbow):
"Fighting him again, it's like just another fight. I'm ready to annihilate my opponent and have another victory in the UFC. I'm going to stop Mousasi. I've come to be undefeated in the UFC to lose for nobody. People have to keep believing in me because I'm going to be the champion of this division. But first I have to beat Mousasi to ask for something and after this fight I'll ask for a title shot."
Aside from "All American's" 12 consecutive wins, "Jacare" is the owner of the longest win streak in the division, reeling off six straight, including winning his first three bouts inside the Octagon rather impressively.
One of which includes a first-round beatdown of former No. 1 contender Yushin Okami, where the submission specialist showed he is far from a one-trick pony, relying on his striking to get the job done at UFC Fight Night 28.
His upcoming showdown against Mousasi will be far from an easy "W" to obtain, however, as Gegard already has a win over the Brazilian, knocking him out six years ago at DREAM 6.
That's a long time in between fights, which means both men have improved and upped their mixed martial arts (MMA) game ahead of their rematch.
But will the result be any different?