Reports that Jairzinho Rozenstruik will now fight Derrick Lewis at UFC Vegas 15 are not true
Some misleading rumors regarding Jairzinho Rozenstruik stepping in to replace Curtis Blaydes at UFC Vegas 15 have emerged in the past few hours. Such suggestions are false, as per ESPN's Ariel Helwani.
"BREAKING: Jairzinho Rozenstruik will face Derrick Lewis at #UFCVegas17, Rozenstruik is now en route to Vegas. The bout will be a 3 round co-main event. #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN."
One day ahead of UFC Vegas 15, the main event, Curtis Blaydes vs. Derrick Lewis, had to be cancelled due to Blaydes testing positive for COVID-19. UFC light heavyweight Anthony Smith vs. Devin Clark has been upgraded as the night's new main event.
"Due to a positive COVID-19 test, #UFCVegas15's main event between Curtis Blaydes & Derrick Lewis is rescheduled to a later date. New main event will be the light heavyweight bout between Anthony Smith & Devin Clark, scheduled for 5 rounds," the promotion announced.
Not long after the news that UFC dropped the fight broke out, various comments and suggestions regarding who could fill the void in the night's main stage started to pop in social media. Paul Felder took the chance to joke about the situation by offering himself to save the night again.
"I'm ready," Felder joked on his Twitter account.
But the UFC decided to take the most conservative approach and transform the night's second most important fight, between Smith and Clark, into the central show. The evening's original main event between the two UFC heavyweights is being rescheduled at the moment, but it is more likely to happen next year.
"No truth to reports Jairzinho Rozenstruik is fighting Derrick Lewis tomorrow, per sources. They were looking to rebook Lewis x Blaydes in December but January is looking more likely at this time, sources say."
What are the chances of Jairzinho Rozenstruik fighting Derrick Lewis?
Currently placed third in the UFC heavyweight ranking, Jairzinho Rozenstruik is only one position ahead of Derrick Lewis, who rests fourth. Rozenstruik would probably have gone for the title shot if he had beaten Francis Ngannou at UFC 249.
Now, with an almost guaranteed belt challenge from Ngannou to the current champion, Stipe Miocic, and Curtis Blaydes being hyped up as the next UFC heavyweight title contender, it looks like Rozenstruik will have to earn his place in the sun again.
To Lewis, who is currently busy thinking about his OnlyFans profile, a title shot could be in the pipeline if he shocks the odds and defeats Blaydes in their rescheduled upcoming fight.