Jairzinho Rozenstruik dedicated most of his time in 2023 to training in the gym instead of fighting in the Octagon, aiming to improve his skills. In his first match of 2024, he showcased the results of his hard work.
Rozenstruik (14-5) emerged victorious over Shamil Gaziev with a fourth-round TKO on Saturday at UFC Fight Night in Las Vegas. The referee, Marc Goddard, stopped the heavyweight bout between Rounds 4 and 5 after Gaziev indicated to his corner that he did not want to continue due to impaired vision.
Not only was Gaziev struggling to see, but he also appeared fatigued and defeated. Rozenstruik’s precise jab was on full display throughout the 20-minute fight, causing damage to Gaziev’s mouth and nose early on.
“I didn’t rush for the knockout,” Rozenstruik commented. “I remained patient and it paid off. Working with wrestling coach Muhammed Lawal really paid off, and the fight demonstrated that. My corner provided the right guidance to stick with the jab. As the fight progressed, I started to wear him down, and eventually, he gave up.”
Rozenstruik’s defense against takedowns showed significant improvement compared to his past performances. He successfully defended most of Gaziev’s takedown attempts, allowing only 4 minutes and 32 seconds of control. Rozenstruik seemed comfortable against the fence, allowing Gaziev to exhaust himself with unsuccessful takedown efforts.
Gaziev was visibly exhausted by the third round, making him an easy target for Rozenstruik’s jab. Despite his forward march, Gaziev could not evade Rozenstruik’s attacks. The victory was especially satisfying for Rozenstruik, who struggled on the ground in a submission loss to Jailton Almeida last year. This win marks his first victory since December 2022.
The experienced 35-year-old fighter expressed his intention to return to the Octagon in July or August. Prior to his main event against Rozenstruik, Gaziev (12-1) had only one UFC appearance, where he knocked out Martin Buday in December.
