The big middleweight bout of UFC on FOX 24 featured Ronaldo Souza taking on Robert Whittaker, who turned in an absolutely sparkling performance. Whittaker’s elite striking was too much for Jacare to handle, and he was able to stop the Brazilian just after the midway point of the second round.

Jacare pressured Whittaker early but couldn’t complete his first takedown. Of all things, Souza went for a spinning high kick that missed Whittaker’s head. He closed the distance and put Whittaker up against the fence. Jacare dropped down and looked like he had Whittaker down but Robert rolled with him and got back to his feet. Souza did take him down immediately after that and went for the back, but he slipped off and Whittaker escaped the danger of the BJJ specialist. Souza fell in an exchange but it looked to be a slip more than a clean knockdown. Whittaker cracked Jacare with a nice uppercut. Jacare connected on a good right hand. Jacare ate a left hook and a jab in the closing seconds of a tense opening round.

At the start of round 2, Whittaker dropped Jacare with a walloping right hand. He went for the finish before letting Jacare get back to his feet instead of play around with his dangerous guard. Whittaker rocked Souza with a vicious uppercut and then slammed home a head kick. His speed and precision flustered Jacare, who could only throw single power strikes. Another head kick wobbled Jacare, and Whittaker went for the kill. Souza fell to the ground and Whittaker unleashed a savage series of ground-and-pound. Jacare was in major trouble and Mario Yamasaki chose to stop it as Souza was rolling over.

Official result: Robert Whittaker def. Jacare Souza by TKO (strikes) at 3:28 of round 2.

We have a new contender at middleweight, and his name is Robert Whittaker, who is not 6-0 in the division.