Jairzinho Rozenstruik interested in Francis Ngannou rematch

By Tom Taylor - July 1, 2020

Surinamese heavyweight contender Jairzinho Rozenstruik is interested in a future rematch with his last opponent, Francis Ngannou.

Francis Ngannou, Jairzinho Rozenstruik

Rozenstruik and Ngannou collided on the main card of UFC 249 back in March. The fight ended up going disastrously for Rozenstruik, who was knocked senseless in just 11 seconds by his destructive foe.

Speaking to MMA Junkie, Rozenstruik explained that he’s interested in a future rematch with Ngannou, as he feels he didn’t actually get the opportunity to fight his rival because the action concluded so swiftly.

““It was a big chance,” Rozenstruik said. “We knew that it was a big fight, a big challenge. And it didn’t go my way, but my dream is still alive. I hope he becomes champion. If you ask me to fight him tomorrow, I’d fight him again. I train to fight him again. Respect, it’s all business. I wish him luck, and hopefully I see him around.

“For me it was more, we didn’t really get into it (the fight),” Rozenstruik added. “It happens in fights. And, yeah, a defeat, a loss is always not good. It’s not nice, and yeah it sucks. Now I’m back in the gym training hard, and let’s try again. Let’s get back in the octagon, which is what I’m looking forward to the most.”

Rozenstruik will have the opportunity to rebound from his loss to Ngannou in the very near future, as he’s set to battle Junior dos Santos at UFC 252 on August 15. While he and dos Santos train at the same gym in American Top Team, Rozenstruik is relishing the opportunity to correct his course against a former champion.

“I just got the opportunity, and I said yes,” Rozenstruik said. “No disrespect to Junior, he’s a nice guy. We train at the same gym, and every time I see him he’s always nice. He’s always a good guy, but at the end of the day, it’s going to be business that we have to settle. So I mean, if I get the opportunity, I take it.”

Do you think we’ll see Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik in the cage together in the future?


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