David Branch had long been trying to get a fight with Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza; campaigning for the bout against the number five ranked Souza and had finally gotten the fight booked in New York City for UFC 230. However, fate would intervene and an injury to Luke Rockhold would force him out of his fight with Chris Weidman on the same card less than two weeks away. With the card change so close to the event the promotion had to reshuffle opponents and put Souza against Weidman, leaving Branch to face Jared Cannonier.
Branch has never been shy about his title ambitions and having held two titles in the World Series of Fighting promotion he believes he has the ability to win UFC gold. Branch is currently ranked number seven in the UFC middleweight rankings and fought Rockhold at UFC Fight Night 116 in September of last year where he had a strong first round but was submitted in the second round by the former middleweight champion.
Branch picked up a first-round knockout against Thiago Santos last April at UFC Fight Night 128 solidifying his rank in the top ten and began a campaign to call out Souza this past June.
I’m passionate about this fight and this is my message to @JacareMMA @danawhite @Mickmaynard2 and the @ufc let’s see who’s the best. I love my job pic.twitter.com/4oyxFlL2Na
— David Branch (@DavidcBranchMMA) June 20, 2018
“Let’s make this thing happen.” -David Branch
And happen it did as it was booked for the UFC’s return to Madison Square Garden giving Branch the fight he wanted in his neck of the woods. Losing the fight he wanted so badly against Souza was no doubt a letdown for Branch but as fans know by now, it takes more than a fight getting rebooked to keep a fighter down and Branch let it be known in a recent Instagram post.
Branch knows it’s not the end of the world but to fight in Madison Square Garden is not something New York fighters pass up and if anything Branch has shown that he will risk his ranking to stay busy and keep moving towards UFC gold. In his lengthy post, he stated, “I am a gladiator by choice and I wouldn’t change it for anyone I will live this chapter of my life to the fullest. I was born for this sh*t my shoulders are broad enough to carry the weight.”
How do you think Branch will do against his new opponent?
