Jairzinho Rozenstruik says grappling has become ‘a habit, second-nature’ going into UFC Fight Night 238 headliner

LAS VEGAS – Jairzinho Rozenstruik thinks he’s shored up the biggest hole in his game during his 10-month layoff going into Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 238 main event.

Rozenstruik (13-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) returns to action following a first-round submission loss to Jailton Almeida in May 2023 when he takes on Shamil Gaziev (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in a five-round heavyweight bout at the UFC Apex (ESPN+).

The decorated Surinamese striker came into the UFC more than five years ago as purely a stand-up threat. He’s handled himself admirably on the ground, but the loss to Almeida marked the first time he’d been submitted.

That proved as something of a wake-up call for Rozenstruik, and he said he’s worked diligently on his grappling in recent months.

“(My layoff was) definitely relaxing and focusing on my skillset,” Rozenstruik told MMA Junkie and other reporters at UFC Fight Night 238 media day. “Especially taking some wrestling and jiu-jitsu classes. It became a habit, second nature and stuff like that. … In the beginning, it felt (annoying), but after a while of doing it, you’re going to start embracing it. I’m at that point.”

Rozenstruik will need his anti-grappling to hold up this weekend. Gaziev can be a force on the mat, and will likely put Rozenstruik’s advancement to the test at some point in the fight.

It’s a situation where Rozenstruik seemingly has the most to lose. He’s 1-3 in his past four fights, and this will mark his fifth time headlining a UFC card. Gaziev, meanwhile, has only made one previous octagon appearance, and it was the opening bout of a numbered card.

“If the UFC selected the guy as a main event, then you know he’s a big deal,” Rozenstruik said. “He has a perfect record. You’ve got to give him his props. You’ve got to take him serious. 12-0. It’s not that he’s doing nothing. So this weekend, he’s going to get a test.

“I’m very happy the UFC see the main event caliber in me. It’s definitely a big opportunity. I can’t wait to go in there this Saturday and do my thing. I definitely think they see me as a guy you can put there and get the job done. So I’m happy they recognize that. Now the day’s almost there for me to do my part.”

If Rozenstruik, 35, can pull off a big win and derail his undefeated opponent, he wants to make a summer turnaround. But this run is going to be approached differently than in the past, he said.

With fights against Almeida, Alexander Volkanovski, Curtis Blaydes, Ciryl Gane, Junior Dos Santos, Francis Ngannou, Alistair Overeem and Andrei Arlovski already on his resume, Rozenstruik has already tasted much of the top level. It’s been with mixed success, however, and for him, that’s not good enough.

“After this Saturday’s win, I’ll take a couple steps back,” Rozenstruik said. “I feel like in my UFC career I made a couple mistakes, a couple of missteps. I gave away a little bit of my power. So I’m focusing on getting all the puzzle pieces together. I’m finding the puzzle pieces already, so I already feel my real power again. I’m focusing on that. I want to get back close to July or August.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 238.