3 reasons why UFC fans look forward to every Jairzinho Rozenstruik fight
Jairzinho Rozenstruik made his UFC debut in 2019 and instantly cemented his place in the heavyweight division. He became a fan-favorite as he displayed his superior fight IQ in his debut and the fights following it. Within a short period of two years, the Surinamese fighter has become a reliable pay-per-view seller for the organization.
The No. 6 heavyweight fighter is now set to take on No. 8 fighter Augusto Sakai in the main event at UFC Apex on June 6, 2021. Despite losing his last bout against Cyril Gane, Jairzinho Rozenstruik is the favorite going into his next bout. In this article, we look at three reasons why UFC fans would be finding it hard to wait for 'Bigi Boy' to enter the octagon.
3 reasons why UFC fans look forward to every Jairzinho Rozenstruik fight:
#3 - Jairzinho Rozenstruik is an elite heavyweight fighter
While making your place in the UFC as a heavyweight is an accomplishment in itself, Jairzinho Rozenstruik has made it to the top ten in a matter of two years. In fact, 'Bigi Boy' is just inches away from being in the top five of a division that is filled with absolute killers.
Since making his debut in the UFC, Jairzinho Rozenstruik has fought some of the best fighters from his division. He defeated former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski at UFC 244, and bested MMA legends like Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos.
He also has a solid defense against takedowns, with an impressive takedown defense of 80%, the third highest in UFC history. Among the active UFC fighters, his takedown defense comes second after Marcin Tybura, who is at 82.1%.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik is not a one-time wonder but a talented and rather skilled heavyweight fighter. He has enjoyed huge success so far in his MMA career and at the age of 33, shows promise to rise through the ranks of the UFC heavyweight division and become a title contender.
#2 - Jairzinho Rozenstruik is an accomplished kickboxer
Jairzinho Rozenstruik is a renowned kickboxer. He made his kickboxing debut in 2009 and went on to dominate his opponents for eight years, until 2017. In 2019, he entered the UFC.
'Bigi Boy' has an excellent kickboxing record of 76 wins and 8 losses. Out of the 76 wins he picked up in eight years, he secured stoppage wins in 64 fights via KO/TKOs.
He brings his kickboxing skills into MMA as well. At UFC Fight Night 144, Rozenstruik defeated Junior Albini via TKO after a highlight-reel worthy head kick which was quickly followed by punches. Watching a heavyweight kickboxer is a rare blessing for any MMA fan and Jairzinho Rozenstruik offers his supporters just that.
#1 - Jairzinho Rozenstruik is a knockout specialist
Jairzinho Rozenstruik is a knockout specialist. In his MMA career of 13 fights, Rozenstruik has scored 11 wins, ten of which have been KO/TKOs. In his second appearance in the UFC, he knocked out Allen Crowder in nine seconds of round one, setting the record for the second-fastest KO in the history of the organization.
Rozenstruik secured stoppage wins within the first round of seven out of 11 of his MMA wins. His 29-second KO of former UFC champion Andrei Arlovski is a fine example of this feat.
The Surinamese fighter also knocked out Alistair Overeem in the last few seconds of the fifth round of their fight in December 2019. Overeem suffered one of the nastiest cuts ever seen in the history of the UFC.
Jairzinho Rozenstruik has delivered five knockouts since 2019, the most among fighters on the current UFC roster. His average comes down to 1.14 knockdowns per 15 minutes, which is the 3rd-highest among the active UFC heavyweights. In short, the 255-pounder is a treat to watch for UFC fans.