LAS VEGAS – Jairzinho Rozenstruik packed his wrestling shoes for Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 207 main event with Alexander Volkov.
Rozenstruik (12-3 MMA, 6-3 UFC), who meets Volkov (34-10 MMA, 8-4 UFC) in a heavyweight headliner at the UFC Apex, is quite confident he’s going to need sharp defensive grappling when he steps in the octagon for the ESPN+-streamed main event.
Although Volkov is the taller fighter with a longer reach, Rozenstruik has a decorated background in kickboxing and doesn’t see many people capable of exchanging with him in a five-round contest. He doesn’t see Volkov as an exception and, because of that, anticipates the need to stop takedowns.
“I don’t think he’s going to stand and strike with me,” Rozenstruik told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 207 media day. “I think he’s going to try to take me down, and we’ll see from there. I don’t think he’s going to try to strike with me. … He’s got a lot more reach, but it is what it is. I go in there and bring the problem.”
Rozenstruik, No. 9 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie heavyweight rankings, hasn’t experienced an easy road to this matchup with No. 8 Volkov. He originally was scheduled to fight Marcin Tybura at UFC 273 in April, but Tybura fell ill on weigh-in day, and the matchup was scratched from the card.
He was required to wait nearly two months to get another fight lined up, but it paid off as he gets a name ranked higher than him and at the top of the card, no less. The upside is obvious, but Rozenstruik admits there were some challenges in making sure he was peaking properly after back-to-back training camps.
“The focus is not difficult, but body-wise, you’ve got to give yourself a little bit of rest so you can go back into camp and push forward,” Rozenstruik said. “I right away think it’s a good name, it’s a big name. A big boy, as well. It’s a good opportunity. Definitely.”
If Rozenstruik can keep the fight standing and get his striking off, he doesn’t expect the full 25 minutes to be needed. He said he isn’t thinking beyond this fight, but knows a win – and in particular a finish – would do wonders for his place in the division.
“A win by any means necessary, but a knockout is what we’re going for,” Rozenstruik said. “We carry the power, so we just throw it.”
Jairzinho Rozenstruik: Alexander Volkov won’t strike with me at UFC Fight Night 207
