UFC Vegas 20 headliner Jairzinho Rozenstruik is in no rush to fight for the UFC heavyweight championship.
A fighter can be so eager to prevent a world title opportunity to pass them by that in their zeal, they accelerate the process to the point where they become vulnerable to setbacks and being left behind the pack. For heavyweight Jairzinho Rozenstruik, he is in no rush to be granted a title opportunity until he has hit the appropriate rhythm. And in the UFC’s heavyweight division where title shots are scarce, patience is a highly valuable commodity.
“For me, it doesn’t matter,” Rozenstruik told reporters during a UFC Vegas 10 media day scrum. “I want to win, and I’m looking for a quick turnaround. I want to fight more before I fight for a title, so Jon Jones can go first.
“I want to be ready for the title fight, and I don’t think I’m ready right now,” Rozenstruik explained. “Why I’m saying that? I want to get going, I want to be in the washing machine, be in the octagon, get that feeling – especially after last year, it was a really bad year for all of us.”
Rozenstruik Looks To Make Up For Lost Time
Rozenstruik is 32 years old, which is typically a prime age for all fighters, especially in the heavyweight division, so there certainly is no need for “Bigi Boy” to rush. Besides, as mentioned by the heavy hitter, Jon Jones is expected to fight the winner of Stipe Miocic vs. Francis Ngannou 2, provided Jones and the UFC are able to come to terms on a deal, so while this is all playing out, Rozenstruik has more time to put to good use. Unfortunately, he was unable to take this approach last year.
“I can speak for a lot of fighters, too. I’m a fighter who likes to be busy – three or four fights a year,” Rozenstruik said. “I had two fights (last year) because of the pandemic, so it took a little longer to get back in the octagon.”
Jairzinho Rozenstruik’s active stretch will begin this Saturday when he takes on Ciryl Gane in the main event of UFC Vegas 20.
Do you think Jairzinho Rozenstruik has the makings of a future UFC champion?
