When Chris Weidman withdrew from his UFC 199 scrap with Luke Rockhold with just two weeks to go until fight night, many believed Jacare Souza would step-in on short notice to fight Rockhold. Unfortunately for Souza, he was forced to undergo surgery for a torn meniscus, and was unable to take the fight.

Michael Bisping ultimately stepped in on short notice to fight Rockhold, and the rest is history.

Now, with Chris Weidman calling out Bisping for a fight at UFC 205 in New York, and Luke Rockhold campaigning for a rematch with Bisping, Jacare Souza believes that it’s his time for a title shot.

He spoke to MMAFighting:

“I’m not afraid at all, I think I deserve the title shot. Even if they give me somebody else to fight before the title shot, I might take it and spank someone. But I know I have the right to be the next one.”

Souza also revealed that he will be ready to return to the Octagon around November, right around the time the UFC plans to hold their inaugural event in New York.