Junior Dos Santos: Beating Jairzinho Rozenstruik at UFC 252 big step toward another title shot

Junior Dos Santos thinks it’ll only take a few more wins to get back into the title picture.

Dos Santos (21-7 MMA, 15-6 UFC) faces Jairzinho Rozenstruik on Aug.15 at UFC 252, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Despite coming off two straight stoppage losses to Francis Ngannou and Curtis Blaydes, the former UFC heavyweight champion thinks a win over Rozenstruik (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) will put him in a strong position to vie for another crack at the title.

“I’ve been fighting for a long time already. I’ve fought all these guys. I’m ready to fight with all of them again,” Dos Santos told MMA Junkie. “I don’t really care who’s gonna be next. Of course the goal is the belt, and I don’t think it’s gonna take very much long for me to be fighting for the title. This victory with another one or one or two more, I’ll be fighting for the title again.”

Interestingly enough, Dos Santos and Rozenstruik both have been preparing at American Top Team, but that hasn’t affected Dos Santos at all. He even suggested that he and Rozenstruik spar with each other, which Rozenstruik turned down, and the two have pretty much gone their separate ways.

“He’s here. Sometimes I see him at the gym,” Dos Santos said. “I say hi, but it’s the first time I’m living something like that. It’s been interesting, and I don’t see that as a negative side actually. I don’t see his training, I never trained with him before.”

He continued, “We are kind of doing a separate work for each other, so sometimes we can see each other, but it doesn’t change anything.”

Dos Santos’ last win came in March 2019, when he picked up a second-round TKO over Derrick Lewis. Dos Santos has recently trimmed down, looking in remarkably lean shape, and is ready to make another run at the title with a finish of Rozenstruik.

“It couldn’t be different. I expect a knockout,” Dos Santos said. “Somebody’s going down with a knockout, and I really believe this guy will be him. I’m feeling great, and I feel in great shape, and I’m ready to go there and put things in the right place again.”