UFC 252 Prediction: Junior Dos Santos vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik

UFC 252 is on deck and the main card is set for another heavyweight clash apart from the main event. Top-ranked fighters Junior Dos Santos and Jairzinho Rozenstruik are preparing to stake their claim for title contention. The heavyweight headliners for the event will vie for the gold strap and provide some clarity to the UFC division.

The top of the weight class has been choked up ever since Daniel Cormier moved up to fight Stipe Miocic. The elite athletes faced off in two iconic match-ups which saw of them split a win and a loss each. The highly anticipated rubber match will finally ensure that the division is on its way forward.

UFC 252: Junior Dos Santos vs Jairzinho Rozenstruik

The #5-ranked Brazilian boxer has launched a successful comeback upon his return. Following his loss to Stipe Miocic for the belt, he has now gone 3-2 in his last 5 fights, competing exclusively against elite competition. Chiefly, he is on a two-fight skid and would be looking to get on track with a statement performance.

His insistence on representing boxing in the sport of MMA might be his downfall against ‘Bigi Boy’. Dos Santos, despite being a top tier stand-up fighter, does not have the durability he once possessed. Coming off consecutive Knockout losses, ‘Cigano’ should integrate an element of grappling to his game.

Rozenstruik is a world-class kickboxer with over 80 fights under his belt. Moreover, he has only been chinned twice in his former career. Since making his transition to MMA, all but one of his 10 wins have come via KO/TKO. His ability to shut the lights in a matter of moments will make him a dangerous opponent for any fighter.

The Surinamese fighter suffered his first setback in professional MMA when he was stopped by Francis Ngannou in 20 seconds. In light of this stoppage loss, MMA fans and pundits will be searching for signs of tentativeness going into the fight. However, due to his experienced credential, it’s safe to assume he will be mentally centered while fighting JDS.

Breakdown

If ‘Bigi Boy’ manages to keep Dos Santos at bay with his outward stance, he should keep the fight standing. Additionally, he carries massive power in his hands deep into the fight, as seen in his scrap against Alistair Overeem. The aforementioned factors should be enough for him to secure the victory over former champion Junior Dos Santos.

Prediction: Jairzinho Rozenstruik to claim a second-round KO.