"Don't trouble the big boys" - Jairzinho Rozenstruik comments on how Alex Pereira would fare in UFC heavyweight (Exclusive)
Jairzinho Rozenstruik believes it wouldn't be smart of light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira to move up to heavyweight.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, 'Bigi Boy' opined that although the talented kickboxer has the necessary skill set to make the switch, there are inherent risks involved:
"His skill set is sick. He's got the skills; he hits hard, but I think heavyweight is different. Like you know, if you get hit first, you can be gone, you know... If it's his choice, do it. I'll never say don't do it. If it was me, I'd stick around at middleweight [or] light heavyweight. He is the champ at light heavyweight. He is doing very well. So don't trouble the big boys."
Catch Jairzinho Rozenstruik's comments below (8:44):
While Pereira has not completely brushed off a potential heavyweight debut, in a recent interview with TheMacLife, the Brazilian claimed that such a move would take meticulous preparation and is not something he would take lightly.
Interestingly, there were even rumblings about 'Poatan' potentially taking on interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall in the main event of UFC 300. However, following UFC 298, Dana White announced Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill as the headliner for the milestone event.
Who is Jairzinho Rozenstruik fighting next?
Jairzinho Rozenstruik is scheduled to headline UFC Fight Night 238 against Shamil Gaziev on March 2 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The bout is expected to be action-packed, considering both fighters have a fan-friendly style with high finishing rates.
Rozenstruik ( 13-5) is 2-3 in his last five and is coming off a first-round submission loss to Jailton Almeida. Despite his less-than-ideal run in recent years, 'Bigi Boy' boasts wins against the likes of Alistair Overeem and Junior dos Santos.
On the other hand, after stamping his ticket to the big leagues with a stand-out performance on 'Dana White's Contender Series' 2023 Gaziev has continued his stellar form in the UFC.
He is undefeated (12-0) in his MMA career and most recently clinched a second-round TKO win in his promotional debut over Martin Buday at UFC 296.
According to the Fight Odds, the Bahrain national is a -185 favorite over Rozenstruik (+154 underdog) for the matchup.