UFC heavyweight prospect Jairzinho Rozenstruik told the UFC matchmakers to call him if they needed someone to fight Alistair Overeem. The Suriname native Rozenstruik got his wish, as the UFC has given him the fight he wants against the veteran Overeem.
Rozenstruik meets Overeem in the main event of UFC Washington, D.C. which takes place December 7 at Capital One Arena. Rozenstruik is filling in on short notice for Walt Harris, who pulled out of the fight due to the shocking disappearance of his daughter.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto confirmed the UFC has booked Rozenstruik vs. Overeem via Twitter.
Breaking: Jairzinho Rozenstruik will replace Walt Harris against Alistair Overeem on Dec. 7 in Washington DC, per UFC president Dana White. Rozenstruik, of course, is just 48 hours removed from knocking out Andrei Arlovski at UFC 244. pic.twitter.com/3cJyjoawy4
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) November 5, 2019
Rozenstruik has taken the UFC by storm, going 3-0 with three KO wins over Andrei Arlovski, Allen Crowder and Junior Albini. After knocking out Arlovski in just 29 seconds at UFC 244, Rozenstruik called out Overeem, and the UFC has granted his wish. With a perfect 9-0 record and at just 31 years of age, Rozenstruik is one of the youngest and most promising heavyweight prospects in the UFC. He now gets the opportunity to fight an elite opponent in Overeem and jump into the heavyweight division’s top-10.
Overeem, meanwhile, is now 39-years-old but is still as effective as ever. Overeem is coming off of two straight first-round TKO wins over Alexey Oleinik and Sergei Pavlovich, snapping his two-fight losing skid against Curtis Blaydes and Francis Ngannou. Although Overeem’s chin is questionable at this point of his career with 13 knockout losses, he is still an extremely dangerous fighter who can knock his opponents out or submit them.
In a heavyweight division that is always looking for new title contenders, this is an incredible opportunity for Rozenstruik to join the elite of the division. As for Overeem, it’s the opportunity to prove he’s still one of the best in the world in the UFC’s heaviest weight division.
Who wins, Jairzinho Rozenstruik or Alistair Overeem?