For FloCombat via A.G Fight

It took Ronaldo Souza eight consecutive victories, a controversial decision loss, and two more wins until he finally suffered a hard-hitting knockout that put him out of the title picture.

In April, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu guru was finished in the second round by Robert Whittaker, who would go on to become the UFC's interim middleweight champion a few months later. Souza must now rebuild his position within the UFC, but a lingering shoulder injury limits his time in the gym.

This situation prompted Souza to make some serious changes in his life. 

After years of living in Rio de Janeiro and training at the X-Gym, "Jacare" decided to move his family to the U.S. and has been living in Florida for about two months now. Having almost completed his shoulder recovery, Souza is adapting well to his new life and can't wait to get back under the lights.

"I still can't train," Souza told AG. Fight for FloCombat. "It's very sad, I thought it would be able to come back faster, but [my doctor] is making sure I'm taking my time. It was quite a complicated surgery, so I still have a few days to get back to training. At the end of the month I'll be able to go back to practice.

"My life is good and my family is adapting well. My kids are enjoying it. My wife is enjoying it, and I'm really enjoying living here. This experience is really cool."

Even though the move isn't permanent just yet, Souza hopes to set up shop for good on the East Coast in the near future. And once he's back in fighting shape, the perennial contender wants to get right back to work opposite the upper echelon at middleweight.

"I believe I could get a fight with [Yoel] Romero, [Luke] Rockhold or [Chris] Weidman for my return," Souza said. "These are fights that make sense. Or even Whittaker. I gave him a chance when everyone thought I shouldn't. Now, I think it would be a good fight. I gave him a chance so he could give me that chance now."

After disposing of Souza, Whittaker went on to beat Yoel Romero via unanimous decision this past July at UFC 213 to capture the UFC's interim middleweight bout. That was a result most didn't expect, including Souza, who fought -- and lost to -- both Whittaker and Romero.

With the interim champion injured and the official champion, Michael Bisping, fighting the returning former welterweight king Georges St-Pierre next month at UFC 217, the middleweight division is in a weird state. And, in Souza's mind, he's at least partly responsible for the chaos atop the 185-pound division.

"I thought Romero was going to put him down," Souza admitted regarding the Whittaker vs. Romero fight. "What happens nowadays is that athletes are choosing fights a lot. For example, if I had not given Whittaker the opportunity to fight me [last April], what would the division be like nowadays? If I had not given [Luke] Rockhold the opportunity back [in Strikeforce], what would have been his situation?"

What happens next depends on the outcome of UFC 217's title fight between Bisping and St-Pierre. While Souza is bothered that Bisping only defended his belt once since winning it in June 2016, against 13th-ranked Dan Henderson, he doesn't want to talk too much ahead of his own return to the Octagon.

"I believe that if St-Pierre [wins], he defends [the belt], yes. But Bisping? I don't think so," Souza said. "He's the champion but has not yet faced a top middleweight. It's unfortunate.

"But, at the same time, I also can't talk too much right now. I'm coming off a defeat," he added with a laugh. 

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